Fate: first blood
by Crusader Jerome
Summary: Two houses, both alike in dignity...are summoned as Servants in the Fifth Holy Grail War. What should be a free-for-all is now a family affair, not that it wasn't already. A reimagining of Fate/stay night with the royal siblings of Fire Emblem: Fates as the Servants.
1. Prologue

The swirl of light faded, and the young woman spoke from where she knelt. "I am...Servant Assassin. Are you-" she looked up and hesitated, glancing between the two men before her. "Are you...my Master?"

"I summoned you. I am your Master, for now," said Leo, displaying the Command Seal that had just appeared on his hand.

"Then, the contract is complete."

"Until we can transfer it, that is," said Leo's Master. The man stepped forward, observing the still-kneeling Assassin. "Which Heroic Spirit are you, and what are your skills?"

"I am called Azura. I am an assassin, and I sing. That is all."

"Master," said Leo. "There's no need to trouble yourself. She's from my legend. I fought beside her. I already know her skills and abilities."

"Hmph. I'll expect a full account of her capabilities, Caster. She had better be useful."

Leo waited until his Master's back was turned. Then, he said, "I know you don't have a high regard for me. I know you would replace me, if you could. So I've prepared a strategy by which you will not have to deal with me for the rest of the war."

His Master kept his back turned. "What might that be?"

"It's rather simple. Assassin is the catalyst for that plan, one might say. A Servant that can't be directly tracked to you...which will allow you to _kill him_."

The man was dead before Leo's first Command Seal faded.

Azura glanced at her bloody dagger. "Was this wise, Leo?"

"Wisdom didn't factor into that decision. Do you see this 'workshop' of his?"

Azura followed his gaze and gasped. "Those are..."

Leo scowled. "That dastard had been using them as magical batteries to power his designs. What's more, his mana drain system is so...so inefficient that he could have gathered more from training his own potential. Kidnapping innocent children and stealing their lives...he was worse than Iago. Iago was a dastard himself, but he wasn't lazy, and he wasn't such a coward."

"So, then. What will you do now?" asked Azura. "Now that your Master is dead, you don't have a contract. If you fade, you won't be able to save any of them."

"Azura, I though you trusted my judgement more than that."

"It was not your judgement that I questioned."

"Fair enough." Leo stepped over to the stasis chambers set in the wall. "Right now, though, we don't need to save all of them. Just one." He summoned a tome to his hand. "Fire!"

The glass shattered, and the contents of the tank flowed through the break. He caught the girl as she fell. Carrying her to a table, he laid her down carefully and looked to Azura. "There's not much time. Can you use your song?"

Azura frowned. "I can try, but I doubt it will be of much use. I seem to have been summoned without my pendant."

"I see." Leo reached into his pocket. "Then, it is fortunate that I held on to this."

Azura gasped. "Leo, how..."

"I found it in the throne room after the battle." He could not bring himself to meet her eyes. "It was the only thing left when you disappeared. I had meant to give it to Shigure, when he came of age...but it seems that I never took the chance." He forced himself to look her in the eyes.

They were unreadable, even for him.

Leo bowed his head. "I'm sorry." Her hand slipped into his, grasping the pendant.

"Don't be," she whispered. "If I had been wiser, I might have asked you to do so myself. I never wished this burden on my son."

Leo took a deep breath. "Then, can you-no, will you use it?"

She hung the pendant around her neck. The crystal began to glow, sending flickers of familiar light around the room. Then, she _sang_.

 _You are an ocean of waves, destined to seek_  
 _Life beyond the shore just out of reach._  
 _Yet may the tides ever change, flowing with time_  
 _To the path, yours to climb._

The blue glow seemed to settle over the girl's features, color returning to her face as it faded. She began to breathe. Azura stepped back from the table, looking spent, somehow. "It seems that I will have to conserve the use of my song," she said. "It's a greater drain on my strength in this class."

"I'll keep that in mind." Leo took a pair of old tomes from a nearby table and propped the girl's feet atop them.

Azura tilted her head. "Do you have a plan?"

Leo nodded. "It's a gamble, but I think it will work." He frowned. "She'll need water when she wakes up. There's a kitchen through that door. The drinking water is the smaller tap by the sink."

Azura nodded and ducked out, leaving Leo to study the form of the prone girl. _That fool_ , he thought. _He didn't even bother to keep them healthy._ The girl looked malnourished, her arms and legs painfully slim. Leo reached out and closed his hand around hers. "I'll keep you safe," he whispered. "I promise."

Azura returned as the girl began to stir.


	2. Chapter 1: First Night

**First Night  
Day 1/?**

"Archer?"

 _I'm listening,_ murmured the invisible shade of her Servant.

Rin paused for a moment to collect her thoughts, and then spoke. "Do you have any suggestions for a more efficient patrol method? I'm only deferring to your obviously superior experience in tactical matters."

 _Perhaps if you had any clues about the other Masters, I might. For now, the only idea that presents itself is to make a scene and offer ourselves as bait._

Rin opened her mouth to reply, but Archer cut her off. _I'm not saying it's a_ good _idea. It would probably get one of us killed. And by one of us, I mean you. I'm not used to fighting while having to protect someone._

Rin scowled, but said nothing.

 _There is another option, though. We_ could _follow the energy of the Servant in the park over there._

Rin blanched. "Why didn't you tell me that at the beginning?" she hissed.

 _It only just appeared,_ said the Servant. _What are your orders, Master?_

"Is the Servant's Master there?"

 _I can't tell for sure. Masters don't have a apparent energy signature like Servants do, and I don't have a line of sight to the location. I could try from a rooftop, but the trees in the park are thick enough that both Master and Servant could easily hide._

"All right," said Rin. "Archer, stay in spirit form until we get close, and scout from the rooftops as we approach. I'll follow on foot."

Archer's presence vanished, leaving only a vague sense of agreement to indicate that he had been there.

The path was darker than Rin had expected, shaded by trees on either side. Even so, she could see her way easily enough. Her senses seemed to be working in overdrive. _Is this an adrenaline rush?_ she wondered. _I suppose that would explain it._

She continued along the path, walking slowly and sweeping her vision from side to side to catch a glimpse of their quarry. _Nothing yet..._ She took a few more steps. _If only I could detect Servants myself, this would be easier. It's such a pain to have to rush blindly into something that's probably a trap._

A few more steps. _I wonder if there's another way to detect Servants. I'll have to ask Archer about it afterward. Maybe it's something I could do._

"It's funny, isn't it?"

Rin spun, frantically looking back and forth, but seeing no one.

"Of all the wingless creatures, humans are the ones who learned how to fly. And yet, when you catch them off-guard, the one direction they never look-"

Slowly, Rin raised her head toward the canopy above.

"-is up." The woman stood perched on a high limb, her features obscured and her naginata gleaming with moonlight that should not have reached it.

Rin fought to control her suddenly erratic breathing. _Focus, Tohsaka Rin! You're in control here, because that Servant hasn't attacked yet. Archer is in position, and if you stall for time, you can give him an opening._ Taking a deep breath, she fixed her gaze on the Servant-for there was nothing else the woman _could_ be-and asked, "Is your Master here?"

The woman scowled. "That bastard? He doesn't care enough to come in person." Her naginata spun lazily around her outstretched hand-or at least, it seemed so from her attitude. Rin could see only a blur. "Since you're here," the woman continued, "there's no point in letting you leave without testing your skills. Bring out your Servant already."

Rin felt Archer's hesitation and nodded to him. He shimmered into existence on a tree branch above her head, opposite the other Servant.

"Hello...Lancer," he said, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Shadowed as it was, Lancer's face was unreadable. "Well, isn't this lovely," she muttered. "That Grail...unforgiveable."

"Your orders, Master?" said Archer.

Rin glanced between Archer and the other Servant. She didn't know what to do in this sort of situation, much as it pained her to admit it. She had already acknowledged her lack of experience in direct combat, but Archer had to appear to defer to her so she wouldn't look incompetent. She would have to ad-lib and pretend that she knew what she was doing. It had never failed her before!

Decision made, she spoke. "Archer, can you take her without my help?"

Archer snorted. "Please. You'd just be in the way."

"Then prove it to me. Show me what you can do."

Archer smirked. "In that case, Master, stand back if you want to live."

* * *

If Rin had known beforehand what a battle between Servants was like, she would have run much faster.

Above her hastily-chosen hiding place, Lancer scattered a volley of arrows with a single stroke and sprang at Archer, who weaved effortlessly through the trees and brush on the ground, drawing his bow every time he found solid footing, loosing a volley for every retreating step. His opponent dodged and slashed with an agility Rin's eyes couldn't _track._

Incredible,

Rin though. _So this is a battle between Servants._

Suddenly, the two disengaged. Lancer kicked off a tree and landed in a crouch on the path. Archer appeared between her and Rin.

"I'd say I'm impressed with your speed," Lancer called, "but you haven't done anything with it but dodge. You aren't fighting like it's a duel; these are your pitched-battle tactics."

"Tch. Don't talk like you're offended when you were just testing my reflexes. I don't remember reading your strikes this easily, even in training. Has the transition to Heroic Spirit decreased your skill?"

"You were holding back? Both of you?" Rin whispered.

Archer nodded. "Yes, but it doesn't make much difference. She's faster, but she can't move as freely as I can, and I'm stronger, but I can't let her get in close."

Rin pondered this. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

He snorted. "I know what you're thinking, and those curses of yours wouldn't have touched her even when she was alive. There's no way her Magic Resistance is less than A rank."

"You know," called Lancer, "I can hear you when you talk out loud, and so can my Master."

Rin turned pale. _Sensory sharing! How could I have forgotten something so basic?_

Archer brushed some dirt off his sleeves. "Well," he said to Lancer, "if your Master wants a better show, I suppose we can oblige him, can't we?"

"I show you mine, you show me yours?"

"That's more like it. Let's see what we can do as Heroic Spirits, shall we?"

"That's my competitive little br-Archer."

The space around the two Servants began to warp and stretch with sheer magical power. Rin felt as if the air had been ripped from her lungs, so unexpected and great was the drain on her reserves. _They're using their Noble Phantasms! What kind of people are these Servants, to go from sparring straight to a death blow?_ For this clash would mean the death of one; of that much, she was certain.

Around Archer, the air howled and spun in a veritable cyclone focused on the point of a glowing arrow that seemed to be made of wind itself. Rin had never heard of a magecraft like this. Could this be...a divine weapon?

Lancer's weapon, though less surprising, was no less impressive. The blade of her naginata erupted with a radiance that could have shone through steel. As Lancer brandished her weapon before her, the tip left a trail of shimmering ripples that illuminated her face for the first time.

 _Her hair is the same color as Emiya's._

* * *

"You still haven't summoned it, Onii-chan."

Shirou stopped. Slowly, he turned to look behind him. There stood the girl whom he had passed the previous night. The mischeivous twinkle he had seen in her eyes that time was gone, replaced by...disappointment?

She huffed. "You shouldn't keep me waiting if you want to live, Onii-chan." The girl spun on her heel and walked away.

Shirou blinked and turned away. _What is she talking about?_ he thought. _That's not just disappointment, either. She's angry. And yet, I've never seen her before last night._ He turned back to look at her, but she had vanished. _Just like last night! It can't have been a hallucination. What's going on?_

Rin shook her head vigorously. _Where did that thought come from? Now is not the time to get distracted!_

Naturally, the moment she regained her focus was the moment the two Servants chose to strike.

"Divine Bow of the Dawn Dragon-"

"Sacred Treasure of the White Night Kingdom-"

Lancer released her tightened stance and vaulted to the treetops, the glowing ripples trailing her. She landed on a high branch and snapped, "What kind of Master are you? First you tell me to hold back, then you tell me to use my Noble Phantasm, and then you want me to retreat the moment you think you've seen enough?" She scowled. "I'll return, but this doesn't help my opinion of you, got it?"

Looking between Archer, whose face was still furrowed in concentration, and Lancer, who was letting her Noble Phantasm's energy dissipate, Rin felt very confused.

Lancer looked down on them. "Oh, right. You're still here. My Master is calling me back for the night, and I gotta follow orders. Don't follow too closely, though-if you do, he might let me use that attack." She spun in place and sprang from the tree, vanishing into the darkness. It was well past dusk, Rin realized. Suddenly, the fatigue of the previous two days hit her like a sledgehammer in the gut. Archer's bow disappeared, and he caught her before she collapsed.

"Ah, thank you, Archer," Rin gasped. "It looks like I'm not yet used to the mana cost of maintaining a Servant in battle."

"You still haven't recovered from the sleep you lost the night you summoned me, idiot," said Archer. "You need rest before you can do anything else."

Rin bristled at his tone, but she knew he was right. "All right, I'll go home and get some rest. But, I want you to follow Lancer. She was talking to her Master back there, right? A guy that does something like that must be a coward or a schemer, and either one will be a nuisance. Try to find out who her Master is, all right?"

Archer sighed. "Honestly, the nerve of you. I'll do it, but you have to promise to use a Command Seal if you run into trouble before I get back."

Rin waved him off. "I'll be fine, Archer. Now go do what I told you. I can walk home."

With a small shake of his head, he disappeared in a shimmer of prana.

* * *

Shirou sighed as he sorted through his kitchen cupboards. _It's too bad Fuji-nee and Sakura couldn't be here tonight. There's no way I could have finished cleaning the archery dojo in time for a normal dinner, but I don't feel as motivated to cook well when it's just me._ He pulled out a frying pan. _Well, a bit of rice should be enough, since it's this late._

Archer frowned. _Rin, I've lost track of Lancer. She's too fast for me to follow on foot._

 _Oh, well. It can't be helped. Go ahead and come back, Archer._

 _Actually...I've found another Servant. This one's not even bothering to hide. Shall I observe?_

 _How do I...oh, that's it! I'm getting your visual input now. You're still in the residential district, so stay discreet. I'd rather not start a fight in a place so crowded._

 _As you wish._

He leapt to the next rooftop, following the other Servant's signature. Another dash, another jump came more easily than they would for any human.

Archer had most definitely not been this athletic in life. He relished the improvement.

A few more jumps brought him to a comfortable range. The other Servant had stopped moving, and it was close enough for his Class-enhanced eyes to find two figures among the buildings. A tall woman in black armor with an axe-definitely the Servant. A white-haired child-most likely the Master. The two stood at the front door of a large house built in an unfamiliar style, and from their positions, they seemed to be waiting for something.

He felt, rather than heard, Rin's gasp.

 _That's Emiya-kun's house!_

 _...Is this Emiya another Master that you failed to mention before?_

 _No, he's not even a Magus. He's just an acquaintance from school. Why does that girl have a Servant at his house?_

 _You're sure he has no reason to be involved? Depending on that child's intentions, he may become involved soon enough._

 _D-don't interfere unless you see an opening. A civilian casualty would be unfortunate, but it's not worth it to get involved immediately and give up the advantage of surprise. I want to make the most of this chance, since those two are distracted._

 _Presence concealment isn't one of my skills, but I'll be as discreet as possible, Master. I'm sure we can make some use out of this encounter._

 _You'd better. If Emiya gets killed, it won't be worth it unless that Servant dies too._

* * *

"What's taking him so long?" Illya hissed. "Berserker, can you sense anything?"

Her Servant sniffed the air appreciatively. "He seems to be making dinner."

Illya scowled. "Why isn't he taking me seriously? Doesn't he see that I'm going to kill him? Didn't Kiritsugu tell him /anything/?"

"Illya, darling. You're going about this the wrong way. When you want something from someone, don't waste time waiting. Just go in and take it. Take him, and don't let him leave you."

Illya sniffed, loudly. "Honestly, Berserker, you sound as if you were trying to imitate my mother, sometimes." Still, she had been waiting for at least five minutes. At this point, it was just /rude/ of him to ignore her like this. "All right, Berserker. I'm going in." She strode up the walk to the door and rapped three times, neatly.

Three precise knocks broke Shirou from his reverie. Confused, he looked up from the table. Who could it be at this hour?

Then, in the silence the knocks left behind, he heard something that he had missed: the sound of a fluttering windbell.

His breath caught. Almost on instinct, he cast around for a weapon. _There! That metal poster Fuji-nee brought!_ Diving, he snatched it from the floor and focused. "Trace, on."

 _Structural analysis complete._ "Reinforce!"

Illya felt the prana discharge, faint though it was. "Hmph. Probably a reinforcement technique. He's still not serious." She clenched her hands into fists. "Berserker, get him for me, please."

With a crash, Berserker's axe burst the door into pieces, and its owner stalked into the house to seek her prey.

 _It worked. The reinforcement worked!_ Shirou's jubilation was cut short when a black blur swept into the room with palpable killing intent. It stopped just before it hit him, its boot crushing a hole in the floor, and the glint of steel-the first strike was too fast to see, but he still blocked, the blow hurling him against the wall. Grunting, he pushed himself up, raising the reinforced poster to block the next strike-

-which didn't come. He blinked. He blinked again. The woman standing over him, her foot still embedded in the floor, held an enormous axe in both hands. Her armor was black and forbidding-what kind of armor left that much skin uncovered?-and she was smiling at him. Hers was a kindly smile, a smile that belonged on a mother, not on someone who had just tried to kill him. "Ohh, quick on your feet, are you?" she purred. "I'll just have to cut them off first, won't I?"

A chill ran down Shirou's spine. "Huh?" he gasped. "What...what kind of person are you?"

"Silly, I'm the big sister that everyone relies on. You, now, you've been a bad boy. You've made your sister sad. That means I have to punish you." She fixed him with a stare that betrayed, finally, a hint of mania in her eyes. "So, be good and let Big Sister take care of you."

Shirou got to his feet, carefully. "You said 'your sister'...you weren't talking about yourself, were you?"

A ghost of a frown passed over the woman's face, but her smile returned. "Oh, no. The young lady is waiting outside for me to bring you to her. She'll let you know _exactly_ how you made her feel. If you'll just hold still for a moment, I'll make sure it won't hurt too much..." Shirou's jaw tightened as indignation surged within him, and he made no attempt to hide it.

"Look, lady, I'll be truthful with you. I don't have any sister, and I won't stand still and let you mutilate me. There's no room in my ideals or my conscience for giving in to a murderer who breaks into my house, even if it is a woman. I don't want to fight you, but I won't back down, either."

"Oh, a hero? That's...cute..." The woman's smile faded. "Did you just call me..."

Shirou was seized by an urgent need to apologize for his words, but he could see from the woman's face that it was far too late for that. _Crap, she's like Fuji-nee! Why can't I talk to girls like this without setting them off?_

He didn't even see the axe move before he found himself in the yard, tumbling head-over-heels on the hard ground with the fragments of his weapon and an incoherent scream trailing behind.

Shirou scrambled to his feet, already dashing for the toolshed. _What was that? I couldn't even see her movements. I need a stronger weapon._

Suddenly, a crushing weight drove between his shoulders, slamming him into the ground. He couldn't breathe.

"I got a little carried away, didn't I?" said Shirou's attacker, her crooning voice faint behind the sound of blood rushing through his head. "You're not going _anywhere_."

"Berserker, wait! Wait for me!" A new voice. The pressure on his back eased, and Shirou gasped, drawing in as much air as he could. "Turn him over, Berserker, but keep holding him."

"As you wish," replied the woman, sounding smug. The armored hand on his back slid to his shoulder and rolled him over, twisting his spine uncomfortably.

It was the girl from earlier, looking regal and collected, as if she had not just exerted herself in chasing her...bodyguard?

Shirou could only gasp out, "What...are you doing here?"

The girl scowled. "You're determined to confuse me, aren't you? It won't work. You can't be Emiya Kiritsugu's adopted son and not be a Magus."

"What does that have to do with anything?" cried Shirou. "Who are you?"

"Stop playing dumb, you idiot! This is the Holy Grail War, and we're enemies. Why didn't you summon your Servant like I told you to? It won't be satisfying if I kill you like this!"

Shirou took a deep breath, forcing himself to become calm. "What do you have against me?" he said. "I've never seen you before last night, when you told me that thing about a Servant. I can't have done anything deserving of your hate."

The girl started, and the armored woman's-Berserker's-hand dug into Shirou's shoulder, eliciting a grunt of pain. The girl forced a smile, but it didn't come up to her eyes.

"It's no use talking to you," the girl said, her voice even again. "Berserker, make him suffer, but don't kill him yet."

Shirou glanced at the woman holding him down. She grinned. "Don't worry, Illya. That's my area of expertise." With the one hand, she lifted Shirou by his shoulder and flung him across the yard to smash into the toolshed. He crumpled to the ground with a groan, his vision swimming and his hearing fading in and out.

"That wasn't what I had in mind, Berserker," Illya said.

"I'm sorry, darling. My hand must have slipped." The monster in woman's shape strode toward Shirou, her hips swaying with the motion, her axe trailing in the grass.

 _Gotta...move,_ thought Shirou, pushing himself to his feet and stumbling for the shed door. He shoved it open, glancing behind as he did. Illya was there, but Berserker was gone. Where-

Berserker swung from the shed roof and seized him by the collar. "Miss me?"

Panicked, Shirou pulled away, tearing the fabric of his shirt and falling. He rolled on contact with the floor and grabbed the first this he saw, a wrench. Berserker casually kicked it from his hand and glanced around. "Oh? You have a little workshop, I see," she said, as sweetly as ever. "I'll try not to break anything while I'm breaking you."

"How can you be so carefree about maiming and killing people?" Shirou shouted.

Berserker laughed. "It's easy when you've been at war long enough." Her eyes narrowed. "Hero wannabes like you don't survive very long, though. They learn to kill, or they die in their first battle."

Shirou grit his teeth. "And a thoughtless killer like you can claim to be a loving older sister? You sound delusional."

Illya stepped into the shed. "Berserker, why is he still talking? If he's too much trouble to pin down, I'll just use Mystic Eyes. This is taking too long for such a boring person."

Shirou glowered. "So I'm just a tool for your amusement, in the end?" Slowly, he inched toward the wrench that Berserker had kicked away.

Illya scoffed. "Don't pretend that you understand me, onii-chan. You're just a disappointment. I expected something from you."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Everyone does, in some way. I disappoint myself, too." Shakily, Shirou got to his feet. Berserker regarded him with curiosity; Illya, with disdain for the interruption. "It's my life's dream to become an ally of justice, a hero who can save everyone. And here I am, about to be killed in my own home, without even saving one person." He took a deep breath and stood straight. "You're standing in the way of my ideal. No matter what you do, I won't back down."

"Posturing won't save you," Illya snapped. She turned to leave. "Berserker, shut him up. I don't particularly care how." She walked out.

The monstrous woman seemed to hesitate, but the murderous glint reappeared in her eyes. Shirou's suppressed panic pushed at the back of his mind as he cast about desperately for another weapon. Nothing was in reach. Then, Berserker moved, the axe flashing toward Shirou's neck. There was no time left to think, only to act. "Trace, on."

His structural analysis, unfocused as it was, washed over everything around him. Time seemed to slow. Berserker's axe crept forward, inexorable as death. He had no weapon, only his body.

What was a weapon, but an extension of the body? What was the body of a warrior, if not a weapon?

 _Structural analysis complete._

Shirou reinforced his arms.

Berserker's axe smashed into his hasty block before he could react. The impact sent him into the pile of boxes at the back of the shed. Dazed, Shirou lifted his arms to assess the damage. They were broken, but not destroyed. The reinforcement was still active. _Wait. How is that even possible? I didn't make a new circuit for this reinforcement. That shouldn't have worked!_

All over his body, something sparked under his skin, like electrical switches flipping on and off. Hundreds of tiny dynamos, burning, dying, sparking again.

 _I can reuse the magic circuits I make?_ Kiritsugu had never told him, but his father had refused to teach him anything but the basics of magecraft. _I was doing it the wrong way all along. It didn't work because of anything different I did. I simply used the circuit I had already opened!_

Five years of failed magic circuits ignited at once. Each one produced only a drop of power before fading, but with all of them together, it was enough.

Shirou breathed, even as Berserker's shadow fell on him, her silhouette blocking all but the moonlight through the window. _I can do this. I will survive, one blow at a time._ As Berserker raised her axe, he raised his mangled arms and pushed his gathered mana into them, as hard as he could.

His right hand flared red.

The air around him shivered with raw magic power, more than Shirou had ever felt. Berserker took a step back, shocked. She screamed, a grating sound, and swung her axe over her head with both hands.

CLANG!

Wreathed in a silver glow, a warrior blocked the strike. Berserker pulled back her axe, hefting it for another blow, but the warrior's sword flickered past her guard and physically pushed her back even as she blocked with a gauntlet. The newcomer stepped between Shirou and his attacker, taking up a stance.

"You," Berserker growled.

Shirou's brain raced, trying to catch up. "Who...how did...where...?"

The warrior's head turned, his gaze lingering on Shirou's hand. "I am Servant Saber. Are you my Master?"

Shirou glanced between his hand and the...samurai, he was a samurai. "I...what?"

"I see," said the samurai, his jaw tightening. Suddenly, he struck again, forcing Berserker to block, at which he twisted and kicked her through the open shed doors. When he spoke, the killing intent in his voice was unmistakable.

"Wretch, get away from my Master."

* * *

 _Now, Archer!_

 _Already on it,_ he thought back, stringing his bow. The cord of winds thrummed in his hand, the familiar not-weight sending shivers down his spine. This arrow was his full power gathered into one shaft.

"Divine Bow of the Dawn Dragon-"

He centered his focus on the target and drew.

"-Fujin Yumi!"

* * *

For a moment, Illya couldn't believe her eyes. Then, she was struck with a surge of unbridled, inexplicable joy. _He did it! He summoned a Servant! He must have been pretending to be weak so he could catch us off-guard when we had him cornered. Of course, there's no way this Servant can beat Berserker; she's the strongest. But now, we can have a proper Grail War!_ It was all she could do to keep from laughing out loud.

And then, Berserker exploded.

The wind from the blast nearly knocked Illya off her feet. She whipped her head back and forth, trying to judge where the attack had come from. Her hair whipped about, covering her face. Her hat was gone. There was too much dust for her to see anything. "Berserker!" she screamed.

Suddenly, the dust parted, and Berserker was at her side. "That was a nasty one," her Servant said. "A direct hit, and I might have died. It was only an arrow, though. I can dodge arrows."

Illya composed herself. "An Archer lying in wait, then."

Berserker nodded. "Do you wish me to fight seriously?"

Illya shook her head. "No, that's all right. Now that we know he has a Servant, we can kill him whenever we want. The Archer's no big deal, either. I'll just introduce myself, and we can go home."

Berserker frowned, but she didn't challenge Illya's decision. "Don't take too long. You'll want a bath before going to bed."

"Of course, of course," said Illya, waving off her Servant's concern. The dust was clearing, revealing a significant crater in the grass. Her brother's Servant had come out of the shed, standing protectively before his Master. With that sword, it was obviously a Saber-class. She had expected no less from Kiritsugu's son.

She caught Shirou straining to look over his Servant's shoulder and cleared her throat. "I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Illyasviel von Einzbern, Master of Berserker. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Emiya Shirou." She smiled at him. "Be careful, or I really will kill you next time."

Turning away, she said, "Let's go home, Berserker." The Servant caught Illya up in her arms, and they were gone.

* * *

Saber sheathed his sword and turned to the boy who had summoned him. "Berserker and her Master have left for now, but there is another Servant nearby, the one who fired that arrow. There was no time to properly complete the contract because your life was in danger, but there should be enough time now, before the next attack comes. I am Servant Saber, and I ask this of you: are you my Master?"

Still dazed, the boy shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry," he said, "but I don't know the meaning of anything you just said. Wait-you and Berserker are different from normal people, and called 'Servants.' That girl, Illya, said I was supposed to summon something, or I would die. She was talking about you, wasn't she?"

Saber frowned. "Was it not your intention to become a Master in the Holy Grail War?"

"Holy Grail? No, I've never heard of this war."

"I see," said Saber. So, the Grail had given him to a clueless Master. It was better than being summoned by an honorless mage of Nohr's school, but by only a little.

The boy sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I don't understand what's happening, or why that girl attacked me, but you saved my life, and I'm grateful for that." He paused. "Why did you protect me?"

"It was my duty," said Saber, since nothing else came to mind.

The boy nodded. "I can understand that. I have a similar motivation."

"And what is that motivation?" Saber asked.

"That's…personal. I don't mean to be rude, but why do you want to know?"

"It's simple," Saber replied. "I need to verify that you are a worthy Master for me, or at least that our ideals do not conflict. Your ignorance will not protect you in this war; you've already been targeted."

"I see," said the boy, taking a deep breath. "My purpose in life is to become a hero like my father. He saved me, and I want to fulfill his dream of being the ally of justice who saves everyone." The boy stood firmly, as if daring Saber to challenge him.

 _Gods_ , thought Saber. _He's serious. I can see the conviction in his eyes._ "So that's your life's goal—saving every person without exception?"

"Yes," said the boy.

"And what if you can't? What if you're not worthy of this ideal?"

"I refuse." The boy clenched his fists. "I refuse to acknowledge a reality in which everyone can't be saved. This isn't just my father's ideal. This is _my_ ideal that I inherited from him, and I will do whatever it takes, no matter what I have to sacrifice."

 _He's like me, when I was a child,_ thought Saber. _I wanted to be a hero, too...I didn't give it up until_ that _happened._ "Then, I can only say this: you are a fool." He seized the boy's wrists and held them up. "Look at this! You didn't get these burns from the axe. You almost ruined your arms trying to fight Berserker with your own power. What can you hope to achieve if you will only destroy yourself in the attempt?"

The boy gasped in shock, as if only now noticing the condition of his arms. _He must have subconsciously suppressed the pain,_ Saber thought. He dropped the boy's hands. "I'll tell you what you can do for me. Servants like me are summoned to compete for the Holy Grail, a magical vessel that will grant the victor a wish. I desire the Grail, but I need a Master to anchor me to this world. If you would repay your debt, fight with me to obtain it."

"A wish..." the boy repeated. "If you obtained the 'Holy Grail,' what would you wish for?"

Saber looked his young summoner in the eyes. "My greatest regret is that I was unable to protect my family. My greatest desire is to erase the cause of that regret."

The boy's eyes widened. "You would change history to save your family."

Saber nodded. "I would. Can you fault me for that, boy who would be a hero?"

Slowly, the boy shook his head. "No, I can't. If helping you is the only way to repay my debt, then I'll do it."

"What is your name, then?"

"Eh? Shirou. Emiya Shirou."

"Shirou. A good name. A strong one." Saber drew his sword and held it before him in salute. "Emiya Shirou, I hereby accept you as my Master. I will be your sword, and you will be my guide. So I swear, on my sword and on my honor as a samurai."

"You...don't have to be that formal," said Shirou.

"No," said Saber. "I am of royal blood. It is entirely necessary that my oath be both manifest and binding." He sheathed his sword again but kept his hand on the hilt. "Now, if I'm not mistaken, we have another guest." He turned to face the house. "I didn't expect the Archer to come in this close. Shouldn't you have kept the advantage of range?" he called.

A figure materialized on the peak of the roof, and Saber started, in spite of himself. He and the Archer stared at each other for a few seconds, until the Archer broke eye contact and jumped to the ground.

"I didn't mean to miss Berserker," said Archer, "but I didn't come to apologize. Or to catch up, as much as I'd like to."

"Then what's the occasion?" asked Saber.

Archer put his hand to his temple and winced. "My Master wants to parley with yours. Something about making sure the idiot knows what he's getting into before he gets himself killed."

"And how will this conversation take place?"

"She's coming in person. I'd tell the kid to unlock the front door, but since it's not there anymore, the best he can do is wait there. It won't be long."

"She?" Shirou burst out. "Who is this Master of yours?"

Archer laughed. "Wait and see."

"Then, if we have a truce," said Saber, "I'll ask you to keep watch, Archer. Shirou, are there bandages in the house?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because if those burns aren't treated immediately, they'll become infected and have to be amputated. You can't suppress the pain forever, either."

Shirou looked like he was about to protest, but he led Saber into the house without saying anything.

* * *

Shirou sat on the front porch of his home. Saber had cleaned his burns, bound his arms tightly, and sternly enjoined him not to use his hands until the next morning, at least. In the meantime, he could think as he waited.

The Holy Grail War was a competition between magi, that much was certain. Nearly everything Illya had said had been a giveaway. She had known about Shirou's father, too. The grudge she had was a complete mystery, though.

And then there was Saber, the picture of a Japanese hero, who had given his life to a hopeless cause and pledged allegiance to Shirou-the implications of that were still settling in-yet had called him a fool for daring to hold to the ideal that had defined him since Kiritsugu's death. Well, Saber had called him a fool for using self-destructive magecraft as the means to his end. It wasn't really the same, but it still stung.

Archer's Master wanted to speak with him. A woman, and presumably a magus as well. Given that the only magi he had ever encountered were his father and Illya, and the latter was the only female magus he knew of, Shirou had no way to know what to expect. If he was lucky, she would be reasonable, willing to give him information without trying to take advantage of him, and-

"Good evening, Emiya-kun."

Shirou's train of thought crashed abruptly crashed. "T-Tohsaka?"

She smiled at him, sweetly. "I heard that you had summoned a Servant, Emiya-kun. We _are_ classmates, so I thought it was the least I could do to make sure you know what you're getting into. The Holy Grail War is a dangerous thing, after all."

The locomotive of the train had somehow survived. "Wait, you were a magus this whole time?"

The corners of Rin's mouth twitched, but she kept the smile intact. "Why don't we discuss this inside? It's rather cold out here."

Shirou frowned. "Really? I didn't think it was that cold yet. We're both dressed for it anyway."

Rin's smile disappeared. "Idiot!" she hissed. "It's for privacy. The number one rule of a magus is absolute secrecy. How do you know what a magus is and not know that?"

"Oh," said Shirou. "Sorry, I forgot."

Rin sighed. "Let's just go inside now," she said. "If we wait out here any longer, I _will_ get cold."

* * *

And that finishes up the first chapter! As I will say again in the future, please review. I want to hear your comments. Or your faves/follows. Those are good too.


	3. Chapter 2: Alliance

_As always, thanks are due to my beta reader, Undying Soul98._

* * *

"Ahh," Rin sighed. "Your tea is delicious, Emiya."

"I'm glad you think so," replied Shirou, sitting down across from her, "but you still haven't answered the important question here. _Why_ are you in my house?"

"Ah, very straightforward, I see. We'll skip the banter." She sipped her tea. "So, Emiya, given that you seem to know what magecraft is, I have to ask: how far did your training go? I wasn't even aware that your family were mages."

Shirou sighed. "To be honest, I'm a complete amateur. I've never progressed beyond the basics, and my father refused to give me proper instruction. He only showed me a few things because I wouldn't let it go."

Rin frowned. "What do you mean by basics?"

"Magic circuits and reinforcement. Actually, tonight was the first time I was able to reinforce something successfully. I've always failed before," said Shirou.

"You summoned a Servant, and you can't even use reinforcement reliably? How did you even do that?"

"Well, I was trying to use reinforcement at the time. I'm not sure what happened." He paused as an idea struck him. "Tohsaka, this may sound stupid...but are magic circuits meant to be reused?"

"What kind of question is that? Of course they are. What would be the point if you had to make a new circuit every time you..." Rin trailed off.

"I see," said Shirou. "I suppose I have a theory now. I panicked when Berserker attacked me and somehow activated all my previously crafted circuits, which drew up so much more power than I needed for the reinforcement that...I have no idea how it worked, after all."

"Of course you don't; you're uneducated trash, as far as magecraft is concerned. But the thing that you implied: you've forged a new circuit every time you tried to use magecraft?"

Shirou nodded.

"How many?"

Shirou gulped. "Every night since my father died five years ago."

Rin's jaw dropped. Shirou waited patiently, but she seemed to have frozen.  
"Tohsaka? Are you all right?"

"You-you idiot! Do you realize how many times you almost killed yourself?"

"Of course. To practice magecraft is to walk with death, after all."

Rin opened her mouth, stopped to think, and closed it, choosing to glower at Shirou instead.

"Tohsaka, I know I'm...'uneducated trash,' but I won't give up magecraft. It matters too much to me. You can't dissuade me now that I've progressed for the first time since I started."

"That's just it, though!" she snapped. "If you keep following that path, you _will_ kill yourself. Those bandages on your arms-those are self-inflicted wounds, aren't they? Let me see them."

Shirou shifted in his seat. "Saber told me I shouldn't move them."

"Fine, then I'll take them off." Rin pulled Shirou's left arm across the table, ignoring his wince, and began to unwrap it at the elbow. "The binding on the fingers is like a cast," she muttered, "but it should be safe to unwrap from this end." The bandage fell away from his arm, and Rin let out a gasp. "These are second-degree burns! And from mana overuse, too! I know what that looks like. So, you were _somehow_ able to produce enough prana to complete the summoning ritual, at the cost of almost burning your arms off."

"It saved my life, though, and I didn't suffer any fatal injuries. That's enough for me."

"And you plan to continue, despite having probably destroyed every magic circuit you have in one reckless act of stupidity?"

"I don't see the issue. I'll just make more after I heal."

Rin collapsed backwards on the floor. "Emiya, Emiya, Emiya. What are we going to do with you? You're so dense."

Shirou frowned. "That's just unkind."

"Ugh. That's it, Emiya. You are hereby forbidden from exerting yourself for the remainder of this war, until I say you've recovered enough."

"Tohsaka-"

"No. You don't get a say in this. Besides, your Servant will agree with me."

"She's right, you know," said Saber.

"Gah!" Shirou swung his head around to find the Servant standing behind him. "When did you come back in?"

"Only just now. Archer has the watch well in hand, so I decided to return." Saber's expression turned stern. "The young lady's advice is sound. Even at full health, you would not be a front-line combatant, so the impediment is not as severe as you may have assumed. Regardless, holding to a defensive strategy is our best option right now."

Rin cleared her throat. "Well, if you want to have a good idea of the rules, then you should visit the Grail War's overseer. He's totally untrustworthy, but he can tell you the rules better than I can. Archer and I can escort you on your way to see him, so you won't have to worry about fighting."

"You don't have to do that for me, Tohsaka."

"Then you can owe me a favor. You already owe me for helping you drive off Berserker. This will make it official."

Shirou sighed. "All right. If Saber agrees to it, I'll go. What do you think, Saber?"

"I have one question first," said Saber. "Is the War's overseer bound to neutrality?"

"Supposedly, yes, but like as not, he'll sell you out to the other Masters if you let any information slip," Rin said. "He won't do anything this early in the War, though."

"Then, I will decide for myself when we meet him. Let's go, Master."

The three of them stepped outside through the wreckage where the front door used to be and walked down the road, Rin leading.

"We'll be heading to the church atop that hill," Rin said, turning to look over her shoulder. "The overseer's a fake priest, so nobody actually worships there. Don't let your guard down, even if it is a church."

Shirou nodded and continued walking. He glanced around. "Where's Archer?"

"Oh, I'm having him scout ahead. He's more useful at range, anyway."

Shirou shrugged and moved to catch up to her. "Thank you for doing this for me, Tohsaka. That cute, innocent honors student persona may be something of a lie, but I'm glad you're a kind person under it all."

Rin stumbled in her stride. "You idiot! I'm not doing this because I like you. You have a good Servant and I want to get you on my side for now, that's all. Don't come to conclusions on your own like that." She turned away, muttering, and Shirou smiled to himself.

* * *

Rin pushed open the door of the church, and Shirou followed her inside. The room was dimly lit, with moonlight coming through dirty windows. In the nave of the chamber, the silhouette of a tall man stood against an altar decorated with many flickering candles, but nothing else.

"Oi, Kirei. I found the seventh Master. He's an amateur who understands nothing, so do your duty and explain the rules to him." She tapped her foot impatiently, leaving an imprint in the dust on the floor.

The man turned and stepped down from the altar platform, bringing his face into view. A faint smile crossed his lips without reaching his eyes. "So this is the seventh Master. What is your name, boy?"

"Emiya. Emiya Shirou."

"Ho? I see. Well met, Emiya Shirou. I am Kotomine Kirei, the overseer and arbitrator of this contest. Rejoice, for the Grail has chosen you as a Master to fight for it in this, the Fifth Holy Grail War."

"Fifth?" blurted Shirou. "This has happened four times already?"

Kotomine smiled again, his lips tight and his eyes cold. "Indeed. The Holy Grail Was was first established nearly two hundred years ago by the three magus families of this land, the Tohsaka, the Einzbern, and the Matou. Four times has the Grail manifested; four times has it been denied its purpose. The First and Second Wars ended without a victor; in the Third, the Grail's vessel was destroyed by the meddling of the Einzbern; in the Fourth, the Grail was completed, but the War's victor was a coward and destroyed the Grail, rather than have it grant his wish. And so, ten years later, it falls to you, and to six other magi, to compete for the ultimate prize by wagering the ultimate price."

"My life, you mean."

"Quite so. Do you know the purpose of the Servants, Emiya Shirou? The Holy Grail is a spiritual chalice that cannot be grasped by any man. Thus, the Servants, heroic spirits of legend, are summoned to obtain it on behalf of their Masters. Yet the Grail will only appear when six of the seven have fallen. This is why there will be no victory without the death of your enemies."

Rin sighed. "What he means, Emiya, is that the best way to get rid of the Servants is to kill the Masters, since a Servant can't survive without a contract to anchor it. You don't have to, but it's the preferred option."

"It is the most efficient option," said Kotomine. "The Servants are physically superior to human beings in every way; it is very difficult to kill one, except with the aid of another."

Shirou grimaced. "But to use your Servant against other Servants directly means you're risking your chance to win."

Kotomine smiled again. "Correct. You are more intelligent than Rin would have me believe." Rin huffed, but said nothing. "In any case, there is more to be said. In the Holy Grail War, seven Servants are summoned into one each of seven classes: Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Caster, Berserker, and Assassin, with capabilities as their names suggest. As heroic spirits, each Servant is the embodiment of a legendary hero, and possesses the same skills and weaknesses."

"I'm sorry, but that's not what I came here to learn," said Shirou. "If I want to know about Servants, I can ask my own, or even Tohsaka. What is the purpose of the Holy Grail War?"

"The purpose of the Holy Grail, Emiya Shirou, is to obtain a miracle. But that is not what you seek to know, is it?"

"No. I want to know what sort of prize is worth outright murder. Four times, you said, people have fought and killed each other over a goal that no one reached. Why should I care about the Grail?"

Kotomine turned away, placing his hand on a dusty pew, and gazed at one of the windows through which moonlight streamed. "Do the lives of your fellow humans concern you?"

Shirou stared. "What?"

Kotomine's head snapped back to Shirou, an almost predatory gleam in his eyes. "At the end of the Fourth War," he said, his voice low, "there was a wish made upon the grail."

Shirou frowned. "You said it was destroyed by the final Master."

"Destroyed, yes...but not annihilated. Understand this, Emiya Shirou. The Holy Grail is bound to this land. It cannot be truly destroyed as long as this land remains. And when that Master chose to destroy the Grail's vessel...there was another, his last remaining rival. And the wreckage of the Grail was left to one whose heart was of death...and fire."

Shirou staggered. Flames danced before his eyes, accompanied by the horrible, sickening heat of his body burning alive. Fire and death all about him, his arms scorched to the bone-

-he was in the church, breathing heavily. The heat was gone, replaced by an equally horrible chill.

"The fire. The Grail caused the fire."

Rin stared at him, worry in her eyes. "Emiya? Are you...are you..."

Shirou gritted his teeth. "The fire."

Kotomine returned his gaze impassively, the predatory spark gone. "It is as you say. The Grail chooses its Masters...who can say if it may have chosen another like that one, or like the coward who destroyed it? Can you afford to take the chance that the victor may be insane, or selfish, or evil?"

"So you want me to be a Master," said Shirou. "Is that it? To satisfy myself that something like...that...won't happen again?"

"If you truly wish to remove yourself from the competition, I can relieve you of your Command Seals, as the War's overseer. But to accept or to divest yourself of responsibility, that is your decision."

Shirou let out a long breath, forcing himself to relax. He met Kotomine's gaze. "Fine. You're right. I can't accept the possibility that someone might use the Grail for evil. You've convinced me. But I'm not doing it for your sake."

Kotomine chuckled. "Now where did that idea come from? I am impartial; I merely regulate the War. I have no interest in what is done, as long as the necessary secrecy is maintained. This is a contest of magi, after all."

Shirou decided that he disliked the overseer very much. He turned to the entry doors. "Tohsaka, we're done here. I'm going home."

She sighed. "Can't be helped."

"Before you go, Rin." Kotomine's voice was tranquil but firm.

"What?" she snapped.

"It has come to my attention that a Caster Servant has been tampering with the leylines in the area of the docks. As First Owner, you have the right to be informed first about such things."

"Tampering? Are you sure it's not just a ritual tapping in for the extra range?"

"No. The structure of the leyline there has changed. This is certain."

"Tch. I'll look into it." She swept out after Shirou.

When they had exited, Saber materialized next to Shirou. "It seems that this fight has become personal for you, now."

Shirou nodded. "Yes. I wouldn't have backed out, not after giving you my promise, but this...it means something to me now. I can't just do nothing."

Rin regarded him curiously. "Emiya? Did something happen to you, that time?"

Flames flickered at the edges of his vision. "I don't want to talk about it."

Rin was silent as they walked down the hill. When they neared the residential district, she yawned and waved at him airily. "Well, I suppose this is goodbye for tonight. Make sure to change those bandages every few hours, and don't use either arm if you can help it."

"I don't know if I can avoid it," said Shirou. "Fuji-nee will expect me to have breakfast ready for her, like usual, and Sakura's staying home because of family matters..." He trailed off, then spun to Rin. "The Matou are a magus family, aren't they? The priest said they helped found the Grail War. Sakura's taking time off from school because someone in her family is a Master."

Rin rubber her forehead. "Well, obviously. If you father had bothered to educate you properly as a magus, you would know all that already." She glared at him. "You're not planning to go to school tomorrow, are you? You'd be a sitting duck, and those bandages will attract attention."

"My jacket will cover most of it, and the burns on my hands aren't that serious. It'll be worse if I don't go to school; Fuji-nee wouldn't let me hear the end of it. Anyway, what about you? You skipped yesterday."

"Hmph! Of course I'm attending. I have an image to maintain, after all."

Shirou sighed. "You're quite the hypocrite. Besides, nobody is going to act during the school day. If I need help, you'll be there. We do have an alliance as long as I owe you, right?"

Rin started. "Of-of course! You shouldn't expect to depend on me to everything for you, though."

"I don't plan to."

"Good! Then, I think that covers everything for now. Just remember to bring Saber with you to school for your own safety. We'll investigate the Caster by the docks tomorrow, too."

"What was that about, anyway?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow. It's late, and we'll attract attention if we stand here with two Servants. Goodbye, Shirou." She walked away.

"Uh, Tohsaka? What was that?"

Rin paused, but didn't turn around.

"You called me by my first name."

She turned her head and smiled at him. "What, can't I have a little familiarity with my partner?" She skipped down the street, leaving Shirou very perplexed.

 _What does that mean? And...was that the real Tohsaka, or the fake, cute one?_


	4. Chapter 3: The Hunt Is On

"Good morning, Tohsaka."

Rin sighed dramatically as the two crossed into the school grounds. "So you did come, after all. I was hoping you'd be sensible and change your mind."

Shirou shrugged. "Fuji-nee forgot to pack a lunch, so I had to come to bring her one. It's not a big deal, really. I can still use my hands as long as it's nothing strenuous. Well, I have to head to the dojo to hand this over, so I'll see you after school, I suppose?"

"Ah, to deal with Caster. That's right." Abruptly, Rin smiled her innocent honors student smile. "Don't be late, Emiya-kun!" She swept off elegantly toward the school doors.

* * *

Ayako, standing nearby, turned her head as Shirou slid the door open. "Morning, Emiya! You brought Fujimura-sensei's lunch, I take it?"

"Yeah," said Shirou, stepping inside. "She's getting kind of spoiled, relying on me for food like this."

Ayako laughed. "Don't let her hear you say that. She's been pretty violent this morning."

"Isn't that normal, though?"

"Ah! Shirou, there you are!" Taiga slid to a stop, practice sword still in hand, almost knocking Shirou over. "You're so dependable!" She snatched the lunchbox and dashed off, holding it above her head like a trophy.

Shirou shook his head and turned back to Ayako. "She must have skipped breakfast or something if she's like this."

"Heh. I'm not surprised, if you didn't make it for her. She raves about your cooking practically all the time."

Shirou sighed, scratching the back of his head. "That Fuji-nee..."

Ayako laughed again. "Well, we owe you one for this. I'll see you around, Emiya." Ayako glanced behind her. "Oy, Sakura! If you want to say hello, don't wait all morning! Emiya isn't going to stand here forever."

Sakura blushed, but came over to them anyway while Ayako excused herself to return to practice. "Good morning, senpai. I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help you with breakfast."

"Nah, it's no big deal," said Shirou, letting his hands fall into his pockets. "I woke up late, so I would have only made you miss club activities if you had."

"Oh." She hesitated. "Are those bandages on your hands?"

"These? Oh, I..." The words caught in Shirou's throat. He shifted his hands further into his pockets. He didn't want to lie to her. Instead, he asked, "Sakura, can I talk to you after school, before you go home? Just the two of us."

She blinked. "Eh? We're not having dinner at your place tonight?"

"What? No, you can still come for dinner. I just...this is something important, and I would rather not talk about it in the open. Fuji-nee will be in the way if we wait until then."

Her gaze drifted downwards, but she lifted her head again and gave him a faint smile. "I'll see you after school, then, senpai." She moved back to her archery station, humming as she went.

As Shirou left the building, he couldn't help but notice that the cheery tune sounded forced.

* * *

The school day passed by with nothing of note, except for Rin appearing at the student council room during lunch to harass Issei and send awkward glances at Shirou.

After the last class let out, Shirou took a spot leaning against the wall near the lockers. The students bustling through the room gradually trickled out. As Rin left, she gave him a meaningful glare, and an invisible force pressed a piece of paper into his hand. He unfolded it.

 _Emiya, meet me at the bridge at 9:00. Come prepared. - Tohsaka Rin_

Shirou looked up to see her gone. _Archer must have delivered it for her. She must be embarrassed about delivering it to me in person, huh?_ "She does have her reputation to consider," he said aloud.

"Um, senpai?" Shirou turned to find that Sakura had snuck up on him. "You said you wanted to talk to me before we leave school..."

"Yeah." Shirou scratched the back of his head. "I just..." The words died on his tongue. It shouldn't be hard. All he had to do was ask, was she involved? Yet, looking into her anxious face, he struggled to speak the words that could cause her to be endangered if he were wrong. And he dearly hoped that he was wrong.

"Senpai?"

He sighed. "There's no good way to say this, is there." He lowered his voice. "Sakura, do you know anything about the Holy Grail War?"

She didn't respond. Was it him, or was she looking paler than usual? She shook her head slightly and blinked a few times. "What...what are you talking about, senpai?"

Shirou ran his hand through his hair. "Never mind that. It's nothing for you to worry about." His eyes darted about as he searched for a way to change the subject. "Shinji hasn't done anything to you since yesterday, has he?"

Sakura quailed. "Please, senpai, that's not your business. My brother...he hasn't done anything. Don't worry yourself."

Shirou frowned. "You're not making me feel any better about this. I confronted him about it yesterday, and he wouldn't give me a straight answer."

"Senpai...please. I'm begging you. Don't get involved in matters of my family." Sakura's face fell, her gaze dropping to the ground.

"Oi! Sakura, there you are." Shinji strode around the corner of a bank of lockers. "Don't keep Emiya after school. You'll only make us all go home late."

Shirou curled his hands into fists. "Shinji, I asked her to stay after. She's coming to my house for dinner, anyway. It's none of your business if we stay a few minutes to talk before Fuji-nee comes out. Do you need something?"

"Hmph!" Shinji turned and stalked away. "If I do, you'll be the first to know, won't you?"

Shirou turned back to Sakura, but a rush of air interrupted him. Taiga popped up in front of them, grabbing them each by a shoulder. "Shirou, Sakura, what are you doing in here? There's food to make! Dinner won't cook itself while we walk, you know."

Shirou chuckled nervously. "My bad, Fuji-nee. We're ready to go now."

"You'd better be," Taiga shot back. "Don't think I didn't notice you trying to get her alone. Someone has to be responsible around here, and if you won't, the duty falls to me as your teacher!"

"Tonight's going to be another lecture night, isn't it," Shirou groaned. Sakura giggled and followed the two of them out of the building.

* * *

"Shirou," Taiga whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Who's that handsome guy following us?"

"Oh, Saber-san? He's a friend from another city that I met from work. He'll be in Fuyuki for a while, so I decided to let him stay with me. He's actually a pretty skilled swordsman. I think you would get along with him."

"Handsome and a swordsman? Now that's rare. Is he-wait a minute. Shirou, what are you thinking, letting some guy you barely know stay with you? You didn't even consult your big sis about this! What are the rules?"

"Fuji-nee, it's fine. He's a good guy. I got to know him well enough that I know he wouldn't do anything bad. He's very chivalrous, almost like a samurai. Besides, you never made any rules about letting people stay over. This hasn't ever come up before."

Taiga groaned. "Shirou, you're too trusting. I suppose he's all right, if you say so."

"That's good," said Shirou, "since I lent him some of Dad's clothes, because he didn't bring enough for how long he'll be staying."

Taiga almost tripped. "You what?"

"Ahem." Saber cleared his throat. "Fujimura-san, your ward is a responsible young man, and I am grateful for his offer of lodging. I can assure you that I have no ill intentions toward either him or anyone around him, on my honor."

"Huh?" Taiga stared. "Oh wow, even his voice-I mean, you're certainly welcome to stay with us, Saber-san. You'll be dining with us, I hope?"

"Certainly, if you will have me."

"O-of course!" Taiga swung her arm around Shirou's neck in a headlock. "Shirou!" she hissed. "Is he single?"

Shirou caught Saber stiffen out of the corner of his eye. "Uhh...yes, but I don't think he's interested in romance right now."

"So you're an expert now, is that it?" Taiga twisted Shirou's ear, and he looked pleadingly back at Saber and Sakura for help.

"I may regret this, but..." mumbled Saber, then in a louder voice, "...did I mention that Shirou has the same name as my son?"

Taiga actually tripped this time and almost took Shirou down with her.

* * *

Kirei's phone rang.

"Hello, this is Kotomine."

"Tell me where you got the information about Caster." It was Rin's voice.

"...Does 'looking into it' mean asking me for more information in your companion's absence, rather than gathering it yourself? I'm unfamiliar with the colloquial usage among people your age."

"Don't give me that, Kirei. He'd just get in the way and ask stupid questions. Who told you about Caster?"

"It was Lancer's Master who gave the report. Shortly before your visit last night, it seems that his Servant encountered Caster altering the structure of one of the leylines in the area of the docks, producing an unidentified magical effect. After a short skirmish, both parties retreated with no casualties. Caster's intentions are unknown."

"So, basically, you want me to investigate so I can tell you whether or not you have to do your job, attacking a Caster in his own territory in the process."

"Rin, do you really have such a low opinion of me?"

"Please, Kirei. You're ten years too late to start pretending you care about my well-being."

"I suppose it is my own fault for teaching you not to trust."

"Ugh, that's it. If you don't have anything else useful to tell me, I'm hanging up."

"I will speak with you later, then."

Rin hung up without replying.

* * *

Nine o'clock came, and none too soon. Dinner had been pleasant, with ample praise heaped upon Shirou and Sakura's cooking from all parties, but the mood was rendered awkward by Taiga's constant attempts to work out bits and pieces of Saber's personal information and history. Shirou was grateful for someone else to take the pressure, but he felt a little bad for putting Taiga put Saber on the spot, especially with their poorly-developed cover story. At least Saber could pass for Japanese. The presence of a foreign Servant would have been much harder to explain.

Shirou had caught Sakura glancing uneasily at Saber several times, but she slipped on a soft smile whenever she noticed Shirou's attention. She seemed to be hiding her worries, which worried Shirou in turn.

Finally, Sakura had left, with Taiga walking her home. When they were gone, Shirou slipped on his jacket and went out to the toolshed to retrieve a metal pipe. Saber gave him an odd look but didn't question his choice of tool. Shirou stuffed some extra bandage rolls in his pockets, and the two set out for the bridge. Rin was there waiting for them.

"You're late."

"Tohsaka, it's only two minutes, and we left as soon as we could."

She tossed her head dismissively. "Don't you know that you should arrive to appointments at least five minutes early? It's common courtesy."

"Yeah, well, we couldn't let Sakura or Fuji-nee know what we were doing, so we had to wait until they left to prepare."

Rin sighed. "Just...let's go. We'll want to move fast to minimize the time Caster has to prepare. I wrung some more answers out of Kotomine. Turns out, the Lancer Servant investigated down by the docks and found Caster messing about with the leylines. The Grail system is anchored on those, and since this is my family's territory, it's my job to make sure this doesn't get out of hand." She paused. "Kirei told me that the Caster of the Fourth War summoned a bunch of monsters and almost revealed the whole thing to the public. If this is anything like that, we'll want to nip it in the bud."

"I see," said Shirou. "So, do you have any advice on what to do, or a plan, or..."

"For you? Sure. Stay out of the way and try not to die. You can't keep up with me, and you definitely can't keep up with a Servant. Don't even think of trying that reinforcement trick of yours on the pipe, either. Your nervous system still hasn't recovered from that stunt last night."

Shirou huffed. "Fine. But if you get in trouble, I'm going in anyway. The least I can do is pull you out of danger if you can't protect yourself."

"Did you hear a word I said? You can't even keep up with _me_. I'm a proper magus with a Magic Crest and real training. That reinforcement spell you use? I can use it on my own body to increase my physical abilities without the backlash you took. You're literally useless except as a mana battery for Saber, and even that is questionable."

"She's right, Master," murmured Saber. "Your prana output is rather disappointing, if I am to be honest. I will not be able to fight at full strength, and if you are injured or exhausted, it will only decrease our chances of winning. You can't expect to be the hero yet. Have patience until your strength returns."

Shirou sighed. "Sorry, Saber. I just feel so...useless right now. I can't look at someone before me in need and hold myself back. I would feel like I'm betraying myself."

"And if you interfere in the fight of a stronger ally where you will be more a hindrance than a help? Would that not betray your ally's trust?" At Shirou's pained expression, he added, "I say this not to condemn your ideal. That dream was mine, too. But you must always keep your limits in mind. Otherwise, you will save no one." He paused for a long moment, filled with sound of their footsteps. "Take heart. You will not be forever useless. I believe this."

They continued to walk, passing from the bridge to the city. The skyscrapers of the downtown area loomed over them, blocking out the faint starlight.

As they continued, Rin turned to Saber. "Hey. I don't mean to be overbearing, but shouldn't you be in astral form to conserve your mana, since Emiya isn't doing his job properly?"

Saber frowned, and his form flickered, but stayed solid. "It seems...I cannot," he admitted. "The summoning may have been improper. I had the ability when I was first summoned, but I seem to be unable to access it now. My mana supply has decreased from the initial burst from my summoning. I fear that may be connected."

"Great," sighed Rin. "A Master who can't supply mana and a Servant who can't conserve it. You'd really have a better chance of winning if you gave up on Emiya and contracted with me, you know."

Saber stared at her with steel in his eyes. "That is not an option."

"Heh. I didn't think so." Rin brushed back one of her twintails, a smug look on her face. "Well, I think we're close enough now to have Archer scout ahead for us. Why don't you do that, Archer?"

A short gust marked the Servant's departure, and Shirou thought he heard a hint of grumbling caught on the wind.

Rin peered around the edge of a shipping container. "Archer, do you see anything?" she whispered.

 _I see the place where someone used a Dragon Vein, but there's no trace of a Servant, if that's what you mean. Don't think you can let your guard down, though._

"First, don't talk down to me. Second, they might be hidden by a bounded field. We haven't encountered one yet, and Territory Creation is expected of a Caster. Third, what's a Dragon Vein?"

 _I'll expect a barrier when I see one. Dragon veins, though? That's...complicated._

Rin squinted. "How complicated?"

 _Bloodlocked ability to manipulate the terrain at points of concentrated magical power._

"That's not complicated."

 _It is when you factor in who can use them and what they can do. I can tell that one's been used, but the effect isn't obvious. Just so you know, I have the skill too. Everyone in my family does. I thought you would have seen that when you looked at my parameters._

"Well, excuse me for not realizing that a leyline counts as a nexus of draconic power! Dragons vanished from the world back in the Age of Gods."

 _Hm. Your loss._

Rin scowled and turned to her other allies. "Archer says he knows what Caster did. Apparently, it's something called a Dragon Vein. There's no sign of an enemy Servant, so we'll investigate, but keep an eye out for traps."

"A Dragon Vein," muttered Saber. "Yes, that would make sense."

Rin turned to him. "What was that?"

"My apologies. I was merely repeating the information to properly digest it."

Rin could tell that wasn't it, but she let the matter drop. "All right. We'll stick together. I'll examine the affected area, and if we're attacked, you will remove Shirou from the battlefield while Archer covers me. You'll return immediately afterward to assist in the fight." Shirou looked ready to protest, but a look from Saber quieted him. Both nodded their assent. "Perfect," said Rin. "Now, with that settled, we'll commence the investigation."

The three walked carefully through the stacks of shipping containers with Rin in the lead. They emerged near the edge of the docks in an unloading area lit by a single streetlight. Rin glanced around, but continued, having seen nothing amiss. In the center of the pavement, a series of cracks ran in a radial pattern, forming a circle two meters in diameter. Raw mana wafted up from the cracks, causing a tickling sensation on her skin. Feeling nothing else, Rin stepped into the circle and bent over the center, where the pavement had cracked the most. The flow of mana was slightly stronger, but she couldn't sense any exotic effect. She stood up. "I seem to have met an impasse," she said. "Unfortunately, I'm not sensing anything more than a leaky leyline. That's what worries me. Archer, can you-"

"There's no need for him to leave his post," interrupted Saber. "I have the Dragon Vein ability as well." He raised his hand, and the mana flow surged, swirling above the broken circle with a golden glow. After a few seconds, it subsided except for a similarly glowing haze seeping through the cracks.

Rin's jaw dropped. "What? But that...that means-"

Saber ignored her, dropping to one knee and placing his hand in the circle. The haze seemed drawn to him, as if flowing into him.

He stood. "It's a healing tile. I doubt one was originally here, but it's possible to craft one from a Dragon Vein. I merely uncovered it."

Shirou moved closer to peer at it. "A healing tile, huh? What does that do?"

"What its name states. It heals wounds and restores stamina...I could, theoretically, use it as a supplementary mana source."

"Wait," said Rin. "Are you saying that you can make these from leylines? At any sufficiently strong intersection?"

" _I_ cannot, no," said Saber. "I possess neither the precision nor the training. A Caster with dragon blood, though? I can think of a few for whom this might be a simple task."

The three stood in silence while Rin and Shirou digested the information.

"On that note," continued Saber, "we should move, because another Servant is approaching. I suspect that we have drawn the Caster's attention."

"Sadly, you have." A gentle voice from behind Rin. She spun, only for a hand to close over her mouth and an arm wrap around her waist. A sudden lurch sent her head spinning. When she opened her eyes again, she was atop one of the shipping containers with the hand still over her mouth and a dagger at her throat.

Shirou called her name, faintly, and Saber...Saber looked frozen. Odd. The soft voice sighed, and whispered, "I'm sorry. Truly." A lock of pale blue hair slithered over Rin's shoulder, illuminated by the single streetlight. "But...I'll have to hold you hostage for a little longer. Otherwise...my brother won't get the fight he wants."

* * *

 **AN: I really need to settle on a consistent format for my author's notes. Anyway, UndyingSoul98 beta read this for me, and he's a competent writer, so check his stuff out. Thanks for reading! Please leave comments and reviews, and I'll do my best to keep them in mind.**


	5. Chapter 4: A Promise to Keep

**This chapter was beta'd by Undying Soul98. Read his stuff; it's good.**

* * *

Azura.

It was indeed her, clad in the armor of a ninja, aquamarine hair trailing past her shoulders.

Her brother, she'd said. Why did that make him feel so betrayed? No. Archer couldn't let her words distract him. Not while his Master was still hostage.

Saber stood below, hand on his sword. His eyes betrayed a dangerous glint.

"Tohsaka!" Shirou screamed.

Archer steeled himself and took solid form, his bow already strung. He forced words through unwilling lips. "Assassin. Kindly let my Master go."

Azura—no, Assassin—glanced over her shoulder at him, still holding the knife to Rin's throat. "You snuck up to close range. How unlike an archer."

"I'm not in the mood for banter," he snapped.

Her face fell. "Of course. I'm sorry for this, but he refuses to let you leave without giving him a proper duel. Your Master is…insurance."

Rin struggled to speak, but none of her words made it through the hand over her mouth.

"You can't fight me and protect her at the same time. Not when I'm so much faster than you. I always have been, you know." Assassin turned her head away from him to gaze at Saber and Shirou on the ground.

Slowly, Archer lowered his bow. "What are the terms?"

Assassin paused, and for a moment, she looked again like the frail child he had refused to call sister. "…Fight him. Fight him, and your Master will come to no harm. Saber and his Master are not to interfere."

Archer frowned, a knot of cold rage beginning to build up in his stomach. "Where and who?"

"The waterfront's edge. He's...he's waiting for you." She swallowed. "Ta...Takumi..."

"No," he snapped. "You don't get to use my name. There's nothing between us. Nothing." He sprang from the container roof to the ground, breaking into a jog on landing.

Saber started. "Archer, what's going on?"

"My Master's being held hostage for a duel of honor," Archer shouted back, not slowing his pace. "Don't interfere." With a leap, he cleared another row of containers and left them all behind. The waterfront, huh. A duel of honor. Her brother.

The rage in his stomach began to burn.

* * *

Fifteen seconds to the water's edge. As expected, the power of a Servant was monstrous.

The presence waiting for him felt familiar, though Archer had never trained to sense magic in life. His opponent watched him from the end of a long wharf built like a causeway, with innumerable rough stones jutting from the foundations. Archer strode upon its paved surface, his eyes fixed on a familiar silhouette that flipped idly through the pages of a book while waiting.

When Archer had reached the end, the other Servant snapped the tome shut and returned his gaze in full. For a long moment, they stared at each other, content to let their antipathy simmer in silence.

Finally, Archer said, "So you're the troublesome Caster we've heard about? I should have expected it. I suppose it was hard not to, after dealing with that monster you call an elder sister."

Caster's face twisted in displeasure, and Archer allowed himself to relish it.

"Prince Takumi of Hoshido," Caster said. "I've been waiting for this."

Archer scowled. "Mutilating my corpse wasn't enough for you?"

"Cathartic, perhaps. Satisfying, no. Would you expect killing an empty vessel to satisfy me, after what your negligence caused?"

Archer spat on the ground. "Are we going to fight, or did you call me out for a lecture?"

Caster scoffed. "What would be the point? You wouldn't listen. That's part of what I dislike about you."

Archer hefted his bow. "Trust me, it's mutual. Not that I'd expect trust from scum like you."

Caster smiled. "That's more like it. Bring it on!" He leaped back and whipped his tome open, ruffling the pages. A smoky, purplish aura began to ooze from his body. "Show me your strength, Prince of Hoshido!"

Archer drew his bow and released. Caster dodged the shot by a hair's breadth, and it carved a gouge into the pavement behind him. A magic circle blazed to life beneath Caster's feet and outstretched hand. Archer dove into a roll and narrowly missed impalement on the spectral tree that sprung from where he had just stood. He came up from the roll on one knee and fired off three arrows in succession, two at Caster's feet and one at his head. Caster slid out of the way of the shots and began to charge another attack.

 _Damn_ , Archer thought. _He's a bad opponent for me. His abilities focus on controlling the battlefield, while I need a straight shot to cause any significant damage. With my luck, he'll have already prepared a Dragon Vein to give himself an advantage._ Archer leaped into the air and focused his energy. The world seemed to slow, and he willed a stronger wind arrow to form. He released it, and the recoil pressure blew him backward, away from Caster, who released his charged spell at the same moment. The tree of light sprung from the ground again and took the full force of the arrow. It wavered under the pressure and split in the center, but the wind swirled through the gap and dissipated, its force spent. Archer landed on the ground at a distance from his opponent. Caster stepped through the disintegrating remains of the tree, completely unharmed.

"Of course you know better than to get close," Caster called. "But at this rate, we won't get anything done before someone interrupts!"

"Shut up and fight!" yelled Archer. He forced himself to stand straight, breathe evenly. _There is no obstruction. There is only the arrow and its target. Breathe. Draw and release. Repeat._

A swirling sphere of wind appeared in Caster's hand to push the arrows aside. Archer had seen it before. _Disrobing Wind technique. Quickened casting time. Useful for overwhelming slower opponents._ Archer scowled, letting his composure slip. Suppressing his emotions had only ever been useful in practice, never on the battlefield. In that case, it was time to stop holding back. Fujin Yumi's full power might not be enough to strike Caster down in a single blow, but he was almost out of options.

* * *

Rin tumbled to the ground. She pushed herself up and dusted herself off, glaring at the enemy Servant. "What is going on? Explain yourself. If you're the enemy, you should have slit my throat while you had the chance!"

Assassin frowned. "I have nothing against you or your comrades. I am merely keeping my promise."

Rin ran her hand through her hair, checking for tangles. "Fine. I didn't want to have to do this, but you've forced my hand. You know Archer, don't you? Not only do you know his identity, you were able to convince him to run off to a duel while leaving me here. How are you connected?"

"Adopted sister," murmured Saber.

Rin turned to the Servant of the Sword. "Excuse me, Saber? I didn't quite catch what you said."

Saber's eyes between Rin and Assassin. Finally, he spoke. "She was our adopted sister. Use the information as you will."

"Wait," said Shirou. "Wouldn't that make you and Archer brothers?"

"Aha!" Rin snapped. "I thought something was up when the Archer who demanded I prove myself trustworthy before taking him into battle just accepted you without question, Saber. Your brother, eh? That certainly explains why you get along so well." Saber opened his mouth to interject, but Rin continued without pausing. "Don't think I'm done questioning you. There's still the matter of where you come from. I'd never heard of Archer's name or legend, nor could I find any reference to it. A Servant's strength is supposed to be tied to their legend. No-name Heroic Spirits like you shouldn't be summonable at all! How are your parameters so high? Not to mention that you and Archer are clearly Oriental heroes, which can't be summoned under the Grail War's rules."

"Perhaps your knowledge of human legends is not as expansive as you thought," said Assassin.

"It's possible, but on the other hand, shut up and stop trying to distract me when you know I'm right. Don't think for a moment that I'll lower my guard around you, even if you did let me go."

Assassin bowed her head. "You are indeed intelligent and of sound reasoning, Master of Archer. I can allow you no more questions." With a flick of her wrists, she drew daggers in both hands. "Saber, I challenge you. Fight with me."

Saber's katana flashed from its sheath. "You'll die within two strikes. It's not like you to throw your life away like this, fighting a frontal battle with borrowed skill. Did the people attribute the skills of the ninja to you? Or do you manifest in this way because of Suzukaze?"

Assassin crouched, angling her daggers toward the other Servant. "Saber, did you not see how I fought before you died? My skill is my own." Her eyes narrowed. "And in order to hurt me, you must first hit me."

"Hey, Saber!" Shirou's voice betrayed tension and disbelief. "Are you really going to do this?"

Saber lifted his blade. "I am. Don't interfere, Master."

Rin grabbed Shirou by the shoulders and pulled back. "That's our cue to leave, idiot. If they start fighting now, there's nothing you can do."

Shirou stumbled back a few steps. "But, Tohsaka…"

"If he's going to fight alone, respect his decision. Now get back and find some cover. I'm going to find Archer." Shirou looked like he wanted to protest, but he held it back and moved to follow her. The two dashed in the direction Archer had gone, keeping Saber between them and Assassin. They slipped between two stacks of shipping crates and continued in the direction of the water's edge, while behind them echoed the clash of steel on steel.

* * *

For a long moment, Saber and Assassin stared each other down. Then, Assassin drew in a slow breath. "Let us begin." Her form blurred, and Saber blocked instantly, deflecting one knife with his angled blade and forcing her to sidestep to keep her momentum. He swept his blade in a sideways cut. She ducked, deflecting the tip with one knife, and backflipped twice to avoid his next two strikes. The moment he stopped moving forward, she was in his guard again, trying to get around his sword. Her daggers slid past his sword more than once, but his armor easily took the glancing hits without even a scratch. Back and forth they went, attack on guard and guard on attack, until Saber held back from an opening and stood steady, looking at her. "This is disappointing," he said. "I'd heard that you were faster than me. I know Corrin was."

"The Assassin Servant is weak in direct combat," she said, returning his gaze impassively.

"I've had sparring matches more dangerous than this," Saber snapped. "Did you think I would be satisfied with a play-fight?" He dropped his stance and slid his sword back into its sheath, but he kept his hand on the hilt. "This is war. A different kind of war, but war none the less. Either you will duel me with intent to kill, or I will leave with the knowledge that you were wasting my time."

The hard set of Assassin's face softened around the eyes. "And...if I wanted to spend time with my brother?"

Saber's grip on his sword's hilt tightened. "Don't you dare say that now. You had a choice, and you chose Nohr." His sword flickered out of the sheath with a snap of split air. His hands curled around the hilt firmly. "In fact…haven't you done so again, even here, on this new battlefield?" He slid his left foot forward, settling his weight on the right. Assassin blinked and tightened her stance. A mistake. Saber ignored it. "I saw one of the Nohrians last night. From your first words, and the challenge to Archer, there are more. We are already enemies of circumstance, but nothing could make me ally with such as them." He brandished his blade in an overhead swing. Bluish sparks began to flow and flicker along its edge. "Now, fight me as you would have when you invaded my home!"

For the first time, Assassin's mask broke, and her frown deepened into evident pain. "So, it was this side of you all along," she murmured. Her face hardened again into steel. "Then, as you wish."

* * *

Rin stopped suddenly, and Shirou almost tripped following suit. She closed her eyes and took a meditative stance while Shirou stood panting, hands braced against his knees. Rin's eyes snapped open. "Found them. Archer is holding his own, but Caster has control over the terrain. It's to be expected; he probably set up his territory near here. Archer won't be able to win without help, but if we rush in without a plan, we're as good as dead. And yes, I mean we. If I leave you alone, you're almost certain to get killed by an enemy Master. We haven't seen Assassin's or Caster's Masters, so we can't let our guard down."

Shirou nodded. "I at least have a weapon, if need be." He unzipped his jacked and removed an iron pipe from the special pocket in the inner lining.

"You sewed a sleeve for your pipe in that jacket?" Rin sounded resigned rather than incredulous.

"Hey, a hero has to be prepared. Anyway, it's the best weapon I have right now."

Rin's eyes narrowed. "No, your best weapon is running away from any conflict. That pipe is practically useless even with your reinforcement trick, which you are strictly not to use, as Saber and I have been reminding you all night."

Shirou swallowed his protests and changed the subject. "You can sense what the Servants are doing from this distance?"

"I can feel the mana released by their attacks," she corrected, "as well as sensory impressions from Archer. It's similar to observation through a familiar, but it takes more effort. Now, come. We have to find a position from which to attack."

"So, you have a plan?" asked Shirou.

"Yes."

"Will you...tell me this plan?"

He hair fell into her face, and she brushed it aside. "Just follow me. You don't need to do anything else. And put that thing away!" She took off again in the direction of the water. Shirou reluctantly returned the pipe to its sleeve and dashed after her.

* * *

Caster was running out of options.

He had been able to keep Archer at bay with apparent ease, but that owed more to the variety of his techniques than to a superiority of skill. Archer was on the defensive, but that wouldn't last long. The other Servant had a strong Master, while Caster's own mana supply was dwindling. He had planned, originally, to fuel his magic by drawing directly from the leylines, so as to reduce the burden on his untrained Master. Yet, there was a flaw with this plan.

Caster had, in life, been a soldier rather than a scholar. A scholar he was, to be sure, but as with his eldest brother, the battlefield took precedence. This had not changed when he put swordplay aside to pursue magic. Accordingly, his casting style was optimized for speed, mobility, and adaptability, and his physical parameters were high enough to survive in direct combat with other Servants. However, this came at the cost of severely diminished Territory Creation. The typical Caster could harness his energy source from anywhere within his territory.

Leo, prince of Nohr, could not. As things were, he would lose a battle of attrition to Archer's superior mana supply. He had to stake victory on a decisive blow. And if that failed...

The Takumi possessed by an otherworldly monster had nearly killed him with a single shot.

Failure was to be avoided at all costs.

Caster dropped to avoid a shot that would have taken his eye. The pavement of their battlefield lay cracked and gouged from stray shots. Caster focused Disrobing Wind and swept up a cloud of dust and debris to block Archer's line of sight. It would only buy him a few seconds—Archer could easily clear it—but a few seconds were all he needed to unleash his Noble Phantasm.

" **Brynhildr."**

The ground shattered and rose into the air, propelled by sheer magical force as Brynhildr's imitation world tree spread its branches above the battlefield. The very air seemed to tremble under the sudden suspension of gravity. Still maintaining the spell, Caster summoned a second tome and searched the night sky above him.

The tree's uppermost branches snapped with a sound like thunder, and a mighty wind spewed spectral leaves that disintegrated as they fell. Archer rose above the tree as if flying, his bowstring still reverberating from the shot that had saved him from the attack. His gaze snapped to Caster, who smiled and thrust out a hand. The orb of blood-colored magic it held pulsed.

Archer's Fujin Yumi was comparable to Brynhildr in destructive power and carried the strength of the wind. Caster had expected his opponent to avoid the strike. But now, suspended in the air by Brynhildr's gravity manipulation, the other Servant was a clear target.

The tome that floated beside Caster's outstretched hand was one designed by Odin to imitate Siegfried's ranged attack. Its use was draining and slow, but it would not need a second blow.

Like a bloody lance, its beam flashed between the two Servants.

Archer screamed.

* * *

Rin tripped and fell over. Her bare knee scraped against the pavement. Stopping beside her, Shirou bent over and offered his hand. "Are you all right?" he asked.

She took it and pulled herself to her feet. "I'm fine. Archer just took a bad hit." She brushed off her knee. "I have to go ahead. Watch my back and try to keep up." Reinforcement's explosive pressure built up in her legs, and she pushed off, not waiting for her companion's reply.

A running start. Three steps. Jump.

She landed on a shipping container and sprinted to the next. The boughs of a giant tree shining with eldritch light revealed itself ahead of her. Above it, Archer floated like a leaf above a furnace.

" _Archer! Can you still fight?"_

His voice wavered, a current of rage cutting through pain. _One shot. I have to retire after that._

" _I'll give you an opening. Where's Caster?"_ One row of the crates remained between her and the Servants.

 _Gh...straight. Past the tree. Twenty meters._

" _Shoot on my mark."_ Rin sprang over the last row of crates and landed on the pavement. Her heels ground against the concrete as she pushed off again, aiming just left of the tree's trunk. Her left hand closed against her right forearm. Three...two...one...

She skidded into a crouch as she passed the tree, already firing a Gandr at Caster's black-armored form. Without looking at her, Caster flicked a finger, and the grimoire floating by his right hand moved to block. Her spell bounced off and burst against the ground. Gritting her teeth, Rin fired twice more. This time, Caster glanced in her direction and twisted his body slightly to avoid her shots.

 _So Gandr won't cut it, eh?_ Rin snatched a gemstone from her pocket.

Caster's books snapped shut. The tree faded away, and Archer fell, his suspension released. The two books vanished, a third shimmering into Caster's hands to replace them.

The gem in Rin's hand blazed. "By my Command Seal, **kill him now, Archer!** " Caster's head twisted up to look at Archer, a sudden scowl on his face, and Rin hurled the gem at his feet.

Rin's ears popped from a pressure change. She looked up. Archer's bow shone like a star, with wind swirling so tightly around it that the light seemed to bend. For a moment, time seemed to stop. The wind like a typhoon; Caster's raised hand; her own gem bomb, small and forgotten in the face of divine wind.

The gem flashed and burst in a sphere of light. Caster's arm broke off its casting gesture, bending to guard his face. Above, Archer's wind arrow flickered. Rin blinked, and the arrow was embedded in Caster's chest. Staggering from the force of the blow, he fell to one knee.

"That's enough, Archer," said Rin. "Return. And, good shot."

Caster coughed up blood and chuckled. "That was...well done. You have my respect as an enemy."

Rin smothered her internal sense of satisfaction and pointed her arm at the Servant. "I wouldn't expect you to last long after that attack, but I don't believe in taking chances."

Caster tried to smile, but it showed as a grimace. "Now that...that level of underestimation..." He coughed again, a painful, hacking sound. "That is just…unkind." His breathing was shallow. "I've done it before."

Rin's eyes narrowed. "Done what before?" she demanded.

Caster slapped his hands against the broken pavement. "Earth Dragon Vein."

Rin shot him. The Gandr splashed against his chest plate to no effect. Rin growled. "Magic Resistance, huh? Will I have to kill you with my own bare—" Something rumbled underfoot. Instincts screaming, she leaped back and turned to run as fast as she could. She made it two steps before the ground erupted beneath her, hurling her into the air. Dust and rocks whipped past her face, scattering off her hastily raised arms. She fought to twist in mid-air for a glimpse of her enemy. Still visible between airborne debris and chunks of concrete, Caster inclined his head to her. His form shimmered and vanished, not in death, but in escape. Rin cursed silently. That had not gone as planned.

Oh, the ground. Those rocks looked _really_ nasty. Nothing a little reinforcement couldn't handle, though—

Shirou slammed into her from the side, his arms scooped under her, knocking both of them to the side onto a clearer spot. They skidded for a meter or two, with Shirou taking the brunt of the impact. Disoriented, Rin blinked, then sighed and pushed herself out of Shirou's arms. "Idiot," she said, but without anger. "I could have handled that myself."

Shirou groaned and rolled over, wincing as he got to his feet. "Sorry. I saw you falling, and my body sort of moved on its own."

"Well, it's not like I don't appreciate it, but don't make a habit of it, you hear?"

Shirou nodded. "Got it. What happened? I saw...that was Archer's Noble Phantasm, wasn't it?"

Rin scowled. "We managed to hit Caster, but he still got away. Archer's out of the fight as well, for now, so we need to get back to Saber. If Assassin got away from him, or if Lancer shows up, we're practically a duck holding its own spring onions. Let's go!"

"Um, does that make me the duck, and you the onion, because I was holding you just now..."

"Shut up! Archer can hear what you say, idiot. Don't embarrass me."

* * *

Assassin walked alone, her presence concealed. No more than a city block past the docks, and all was silent, as if nothing had happened to disturb the peace of Fuyuki. All was still, but for her feet and the beating of her heart.

" _You had a choice, and you chose Nohr."_

It was true. An incomplete existence, this she was. Memories of different paths lay within her mind. In some, Corrin had sided with Hoshido; in others, with Nohr; sometimes, with neither. She knew them as one knew stories in a book. Those which felt real, which she herself had experienced, were a different matter.

Corrin had chosen Nohr. She had followed him.

Saber was right. She was indeed the Azura who had chosen Nohr. Leo's—no, Caster's—memories had seemed to come from that same timeline, for the most part. He was aware of some memories that did not quite fit, though not to the same extent as herself. It seemed that Saber, too, was the Ryoma from the timeline that had formed her.

Never had she so detested having guessed rightly

 _I'm here,_ whispered the voice of the Servant who was her Master. Assassin dropped her Presence Concealment. Caster was in spirit form. The pain radiating through their link was intense; it surprised her that she had not noticed while lost in thought.

"How badly are you injured?" she asked.

 _I took Fujin Yumi's strike boosted by a Command Seal. Unless we find another suitable place soon, I may fade._

"I see." A suitable place...to be sure, there were many leylines upon which Dragon Vein might be invoked. However, some were guarded, some were obstructed, and all would be under the eye of the other Masters. Lancer's Master had clearly spread the word about the healing tile at the docks. And on top of all this, there was the golden man's warning not to overturn his garden carelessly. "Where shall we go?"

 _A few of the other places we scouted come to mind. We must avoid going near Iulia, though, at all costs. Perhaps—_

Caster's thoughts were interrupted by the clanking of plate armor. Assassin faded into concealment again. From a nearby alleyway, a Servant strode into view. He halted and looked in their direction. His hands lowered to rest by his thighs. "Do not be alarmed. I wish to parley."

Assassin dropped Presence Concealment. It would not do to let Caster materialize again before healing. "Servant Rider," she said, "or so I assume, due to process of elimination. You do not strike me as a Berserker."

"Observant, as I would expect. I am indeed Servant Rider." He smiled faintly. "I have come to offer an alliance."

"What sort of alliance?" asked Assassin.

"If you will agree," Rider inclined his head, "you will be granted the use of my Master's base of operations. It is well-warded and secure, and sits above a leyline, should you choose to repeat what you did here. I give you my word that no harm shall come to you or to your Masters while our alliance stands, from myself or from my Master."

Caster appeared next to Assassin, and she hurriedly returned to spirit form herself to lessen the strain on him. Caster let out a chuckle. "An offer we can't refuse, is it? Well, if it's you, I think I can bear to be trusting. I'm sure you counted on that, eldest brother."

"But of course," replied Xander of Nohr, his face stern. "This is war, and in war, family comes first."

* * *

 **To my returning readers, a big thanks for putting up with the delay. I had the first half of this chapter written back in October, but it took me a while to finish. A shout-out to my reviewers, also. Hearing from you directly increases my motivation to keep writing. More reviews = faster updates.**

 **Let me know what you think of my take on the characters and setting. I've put some deep thought into the interactions between the Fate and Fire Emblem magic systems, so I would especially appreciate your feedback there.**


	6. Chapter 5: Catching a Breath

Here is my Easter chapter. I put a lot of work into this. Let me know your thoughts!

Beta'd by the excellent Undying Soul98.

Chapter 5: Catching a Breath

"So," Rin began, "it is time for us to discuss our observations of the enemy." She gestured to Shirou and Saber, who sat across the table from her. "Why don't you begin? I've drawn some conclusions of my own already, but I want your input, because Saber's experience is far greater than mine, and because Emiya can be not a total idiot sometimes."

"That's too harsh," groaned Shirou.

"Quiet. Now, Saber. You recognized Assassin, and from what Archer has told me, you are familiar with Caster as well. His True Name is Leo of Nohr."

Saber's brow furrowed. "I see. That would explain his desire to fight Archer one-on-one. They had something of a rivalry on the battlefield, due to...their similar ages, among other things."

Rin nodded. "Good, good. Now, to Assassin. She called Caster her brother, but you introduced her as your adopted sister. Could you explain how these family matters work? I need to know what sort of people these Servants are."

Saber took in a shuddering breath. "I...see. This history is likely known to almost every combatant in this war by now, so I will not withhold it from you. To put it simply: the kingdoms of Hoshido and Nohr had always been rivals, over culture, over resources, over foreign policy. But matters reached a breaking point when the king of Nohr broke truce during peace talks to slay my father and abduct my younger brother."

"Archer?"

"No, our stepbrother, the child of our father's second wife."

"Ah. Carry on."

"Our ninja infiltrated Nohr in a rescue attempt, but it ended in failure. The only return was a hostage of our own-the Nohrian king's stepdaughter. The queen treated her like her own child, but for the rest of us, there was something of a distance. I didn't realize it, myself, until it was too late. War broke out after the queen's death. Our brother, who had been raised as a Nohrian prince, learned of his true heritage." A bitterness had crept into Saber's voice. "Yet, he still chose Nohr. And soon after, _she_ left us to follow him."

The room fell silent, and Rin rushed to find something to say. "I...I'm sorry if I made you bring up bad memories. If you don't want to talk about it, I can ask Archer later..."

Saber laughed, mirthlessly. "He will be far less charitable than I. My brother was never one to grant the benefit of the doubt."

Shirou's gaze was fixed on the table in stare of concentration. Rin snapped her fingers at him. "Emiya! Got something to say?"

"Huh? Oh, no, I was just thinking."

"Thinking what?"

"Well..." He paused to gather his thoughts. "When Assassin was holding you hostage, Tohsaka, she said something like, 'I'm doing this for my brother.' We assumed she meant Caster, and maybe she did, since she's related to those Nohr people. But...what if it wasn't him? She could have meant you, Saber, or Archer or your stepbrother, even. Caster makes the most sense, of course, but it's not something we can just assume."

Saber inhaled sharply. "An excellent point. I may as well say this: the Berserker Servant we fought last night was the elder Nohrian princess. And as for brothers, there is one more whom she could mean. The crown prince of Nohr, Xander. My counterpart on the side of the enemy, and my equal in combat strength, if not in honor."

"Tohsaka...is it normal for the Servants to be related to one another like this?" Shirou asked, frowning.

Rin scowled. "No! Absolutely not! Nothing about this is normal." She thought for a moment. "Would this Xander be eligible for the Rider class?"

Saber frowned. "As I recall, he always fought from horseback. It is a distinct possibility."

"Great!" Rin threw up her hands. "At this rate, Lancer's the only Servant in this war who _isn't_ a relative or mortal enemy of yours. And I have my suspicions about her, as well!"

 _About that._

"Archer? Didn't I tell you to go back home to recover?"

 _I did. Your telepathy is leaking, so I caught most of the conversation. Lancer is my sister, Hinoka._

Rin collapsed backward and let herself drift into incoherent fuming. Was it really too much to ask for a normal Grail War without the Servants bringing their family baggage into everything? Apparently so. Saber and Shirou leaned over the table to give her bemused looks. She chose to ignore them.

Shirou squinted. "Tohsaka, are you all right?"

"What did Archer say?" Saber asked.

Rin sat up, sighed, and resumed her normal, ladylike posture. "To answer your questions," she began, "I am in a state of mental distress, and Lancer is apparently your sister."

"Which one?"

"Gods, Saber!" she shrieked. "Do you ever run out of family members?" She composed herself. "It's Hinoka, he says."

Ignoring her outburst, Saber gazed past her. "It's sad that I must say this," he murmured, "but I can't help being relieved that Sakura was spared."

"Eh?"

He glanced between the two of them. "Mine, not yours."

Rin stared at the Servant, silently daring him to add another piece of confusing information. When none came, she cleared her throat loudly and said, "Now that we have all of _that_ out of the way, we can move to the planning stage. We have some general knowledge of the capabilities of the other Servants, as well as their most likely identities, not to mention the normal skills and parameter adjustments of each class. Archer and I should be able to defeat Caster; he had some nasty tricks, but we'll know to watch out for combination attacks, and if I can get in close, we'll have the upper hand."

"Whatever you have in mind, I would not advise it, Tohsaka Rin," said Saber. "Caster was renowned for his ability in close combat on the front lines. Additionally, I have heard that he is an excellent swordsman, although I have not seen it for myself."

"Perfect," Rin grumbled. "I don't suppose you would rather take him yourself?"

Saber lowered his head. "I am sure that I could, but as I am not at full strength, I would certainly receive his counterattack. I am much faster than he, but to make full use of that advantage, I would have to fight from a distance. It can be done, but surely you see the issue."

Rin did. Trying to fight a Caster at range while not in an Archer class was a disadvantageous matchup, even if one possessed a ranged attack. She gritted her teeth. It really wasn't fair for an enemy Caster to be so resistant to physical harm. She took a deep breath. "Then, what would you suggest?"

"Reconnaissance," Saber replied. "We have too little information on our rivals. Lancer's, Caster's, and Assassin's Masters have not shown themselves, and none of us have encountered Rider. With Caster, this is especially dangerous, since I am inclined to believe that the docks were not the base of his Territory."

Rin's eyes narrowed. "He fled too quickly, that's true. But he must have prepared the battlefield in some way to have manipulated the terrain like that. I didn't sense any Bounded Fields at all."

"It is the same power that he used to construct the healing circle we found on the battlefield. This land is rich in magic, and the blood of the First Dragons resonates with it strongly." Saber curled his fingers into a fist. "As I have said, I can do the same. So can Archer. So can all of us."

Rin pursed her lips. "I'll keep that in mind." She looked at Shirou. "Emiya, you're not saying anything. Are you content to let Saber and me do all the planning?"

"Eh? Sorry, I kind of spaced out. But no, I don't mind. You're the one who's always telling me how much less smart I am than you, after all." He smiled at her. "I'll have my hands full training with Saber; worrying about our plans will be a distraction. I trust you."

Rin sighed. He was taking this seriously, but she was a little disappointed. He still didn't understand what being a magus meant. "In that case, I'll return home." She stood from the table, and Shirou escorted her to the front door.

He stood with the door open as she stepped outside. "See you tomorrow, Tohsaka?"

She nodded. "I'll let you know what I have planned somehow or other. Be cautious in your use of magecraft. Don't overexert yourself, either. You're still vulnerable to a repeat of those injuries." She turned away, tossing her hair in a practiced gesture.

 _He's got quite a ways to go before he can stand on his own,_ she thought. _I can't get too attached, though. Ideally, he'll get eliminated after we deal with Caster and Berserker, as we agreed to do. If he survives to the end...that will be troublesome._

* * *

Shirou closed the door and was about to return to the living room when something tingled on his right arm under the bandages. Carefully, he shifted the wrapping to the side. Just above his wrist, the scarring from his improvised Magic Circuits bore jagged streaks of silver. He blinked, and the itch was gone, along with the altered color. Only the fading red of almost-healed burns remained. He sighed and shifted the bandages back. _I must be more tired than I thought. Magic overuse really isn't to be trifled with, is it._

* * *

Rider halted. _Remain for now in spirit form. I would not have this conversation heard by anyone._

Before the three Servants stood a large mansion girded in an unsettling aura. Its size, and the size of the property gave the look of wealth, but the color of it all appeared tarnished under the pale moonlight.

 _Brother. What is this place?_ asked Caster. _It reeks of despair._

Rider did not respond.

 _Brother?_ Assassin this time.

 _It is the dwelling of my Master's tormentor._ The other two remained silent, waiting for him to continue. _The monster abiding here is similar to the thing that destroyed Father. I know not whether it became so of its own will, or from outside corruption. Nor do I care. It must die, and my power is ill-suited for the task. If you will assist me in freeing my Master, I will concede the Holy Grail to you._

 _Then you have no wish?_ said Caster.

Rider's bitter laugh rang in the other's minds. _Any wish I brought with me amounts to no more than childish dreams. A king's duty is to his people; a Servant's, to his Master. For a cause such as this...my conscience will allow nothing else._

 _I would expect no less of you._ Caster paused. _However, I must judge the situation for myself before giving you a proper answer. My training demands it._

Even without physical form, Rider's smile could be felt. _Ever the strategist. Just as I would expect from you. And you, sister?_

 _I will follow my brother's decision,_ replied Assassin.

 _Then, let us resume this charade._ Rider's physical form materialized. "I will go to announce your arrival. Wait for me."

* * *

Shinji glanced up at the sound of heavy footsteps in the hall. "Rider. You're back. How did it go?"

Rider looked down on him with a subtly impassive frown. "Caster is agreeable to the proposed terms. Assassin appears to be included as part of the deal."

Shinji rubbed his hands together. "Excellent. That was well-done, Rider. If it's you three, even the Knight classes should be no problem to deal with."

Rider's eyes narrowed. "While I do not disagree, do not take our enemies lightly. Misjudgment of an enemy's strength has been the downfall of many a tactician."

"Of course, of course." Shinji waved his hand as if to brush away Rider's concern. "You worry too much. There's no way you would lose to that arrogant Tohsaka bitch. You're my-" Rider glared at him sharply. Shinji swallowed. "-my _sister's_ Servant, after all."

"I have brought them up to the bounded field surrounding the property," Rider continued. "As prospective host, it befits you to go out and meet them to confirm the terms of our alliance."

Shinji sucked in a quick breath to hide his spike of anger at the thinly-veiled order. He needed to seem carefree, or people would think he wasn't in control. "Ahh, I suppose you're right, Rider. It wouldn't do to give a bad impression of our hospitality." The last word held more bitterness than he had intended.

Rider regarded him coolly for a moment, then nodded. "Indeed. Let us not waste time, then." He strode to the from door and opened it. "If I may offer some advice," he said, waiting for Shinji to walk through, "treat them as equals. Condescension will get you nowhere."

Shinji's eyebrow twitched. "That's...very helpful of you, Rider."

The two walked in silence to the edge of the property by the road, side by side. As they passed through the bounded field, two figures shimmered into existence, illumined by streetlight. The first, blond and clad in black, ridge-patterned armor, gave Shinji an appraising look. Shinji suppressed a scowl. This...boy looked younger than him, and yet he gave off such an aura of assurance. The second-pale blue hair woven through with lace, and nasty spikes on her bracers. Her eyes seemed to bore into his soul while letting none of her own feelings escape. Shinji averted his gaze, trying to look nonchalant. "So you are Caster and Assassin? I'm Matou Shinji, acting Master of Rider. He tells me that you are willing to ally with us against the other Masters and Servants." Shinji ran his fingers through his hair, brushing it back.

The boy nodded. "Yes, I'm Caster. She's Assassin. Now, to confirm the terms. The terms Rider proffered were mutual military aid and a suitable base of operations."

Good. Rider hadn't told them anything strange. Not that Shinji would have expected him to, but he didn't entirely trust the Servant. "Of course. That's exactly what we intended. It took some convincing to get my grandfather to agree to let you on the property, but as long as we set clear boundaries for both parties, there shouldn't be any disagreements."

"Then, let us establish those boundaries immediately," spoke Assassin. "How do you wish to define our mutual conduct?"

Shinji winced, blinking a few times. "Well, that's...tell them what we decided, Rider."

Rider raised an eyebrow, but complied. "The family head has chosen not to participate directly in this War. Therefore, an unused wing of the house has been set aside for your use. As long as you act within reason and cause no damage to the extant wards on the building, you will be given the free usage of those rooms. You are not to intrude upon other areas of the house or their occupants. You may do as you see fit with the leyline outside the house." He looked to Shinji again and motioned with his head.

Shinji resisted the urge to growl and sighed instead. "If the terms are agreeable to you, then I'll show you around, _as befits my duty as host._ " Rider nodded slightly, and Caster-was that guy smirking? The nerve!

"There is one thing I would add." Caster's expression was businesslike now. "We should establish a geas to prevent betrayal. Specifically, that no member of either party shall attack the other until the proposed arrangement has been terminated with the consent of both."

"Oh, well," Shinji scrambled for words, "that is, obviously! It goes without saying. Can I rely on you to prepare that?"

Caster laughed. "Naturally. It's no trouble." He gestured with a hand. "Even for a temporary alliance, I don't want my own show of good will to lose to yours."

Shinji felt somewhat at a loss. He wasn't used to sudden cordiality from strangers.

"Now, if you'll allow us in and show us around, I can draw up the contract as soon as we're finished," said Caster. Then he added in a lower voice, "Though, with Rider here, there's no need to worry that we'd try something."

"Of course," Shinji replied, deciding to ignore the aside. "Right this way."

* * *

In an innocuous house elsewhere in Fuyuki, a young European girl lay on a futon, exhausted yet dreading sleep, for sleep would bring another dream of war and heartbreak.

 _Leo let down his outstretched arm. The prisoners had fallen with a single blow from his magic, unable even to react. He turned and inclined his head toward the throne._

" _As you can see, Father, I have dealt with them. I hope that you will forgive our brother's indecision. He has not taken lives before."_

This had been her dream before a painful throbbing in her gloved hand woke her. She clutched the spot tightly with her other hand until it ceased to tremble. With shuddering breaths, she sought to calm herself.

Who was this boy, and why did she remember him saving her? Perhaps she had imagined him. But, if she had imagined it all...why was she here, so far from home?

* * *

The moment they had left the two Servants, Shinji turned to Rider. "What the hell was that woman?"

"You refer to Assassin."

"Those eyes...I've never seen anything like that on a human." Rider stopped and turned to look the Matou in the eye. Shinji managed to stare back defiantly for a few seconds before turning away with a scoff.

"You fear her," said Rider.

"Ridiculous," Shinji spat. "Me, scared of a glorified familiar?"

"You fear what you do not understand. It is instinctive to do so."

Shinji grit his teeth. "Look, Rider, will you answer me or not?"

"What do you call a human?" Rider asked.

"What? What does that matter?"

"I cannot answer your question until I know what you want to know," said Rider. "Clearly, your standard of humanity is not mine. In my eyes, Assassin is most certainly a human Heroic Spirit. That is, the Heroic Spirit of a human. But perhaps you do not acknowledge that Servants are human. Am I wrong?"

His arms crossed, Shinji glowered at the other end of the hallway. "There's nothing human about you guys. You just look like us on the outside. Tools are what you are."

Rider sighed. "That is what you have been trained to believe, and I will not contest it right now. However, discounting our hidden prowess, is there anything that would set us apart from humans, as seen by an ordinary person? If it is a disguise, it is well-crafted; I doubt not that some Servants would not distinguish between their original lives and their legends." Rider stood before Shinji, towering over him, and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Consider this, though. Does your treatment of Servants differ at all from your treatment of your fellow humans? You put on a mask of arrogance; you fear the strong and seek power over them, while you abuse those who will not resist you."

Shinji squirmed, trying to shake off the hand, but Rider held him in place. "So what?" he complained. "Isn't that what everyone does?"

"No, it is not!" thundered Rider. "Do you really think that everyone is like yourself? That is utter folly. To treat humans as tools is to ignore their true potential, both for and against you. A tool can be replaced; a person cannot. Foolishness may be cured, but nothing will cure death." He released Shinji, and the boy collapsed against the wall, wincing and covering his ears. Rider knelt and lifted Shinji's head by the hair. "A less merciful man than me might have already killed you for your impudence. Take heart. I do not yet consider you past hope."

Rider let go, and Shinji's entire body sagged forward. He caught himself with his hands. "Don't." He raised his head to meet Rider's impassive stare. "Don't lie to me. You know I'm nothing but a failure, from a family of dead failures. My mother, my father, my uncle, all dead. My _sister_ , an empty shell. Me, unfit to be the heir, with no aptitude for magic. My birthright, a lie. The Matou magecraft-the Matou family-is dead. There's nothing left but Grandfather feeding on our corpse."

Rider continued to stare at him, and Shinji stared back in weak defiance. This time, he would not look away.

Rider spoke. "Are you the only person who has ever suffered?"

Shinji let out a strangled moan and dropped his face into his hands. "Leave me alone."

Rider's shadow over Shinji faded. When the boy looked up, the Servant was gone. Stealing a glance both ways, he crawled to his feet and crept down the hallway in the direction of his room. So, this was it. Rider had finally all but admitted that he'd kill him if he stopped being useful. How many potential threats was that in this house, now? Four, counting the three Servants and Zouken?

Why had he thought that any of this was a good idea?


	7. Chapter 6: Each One's Struggle

This chapter was beta'd by Undying Soul98.

Chapter 6: Each One's Struggles

Takumi stood sentinel on the school rooftop, watching for enemy Servants. The job was somewhat more boring than expected, given that nothing had actually happened for the whole day so far. However, he did appreciate the chance to rest and recover from his wounds. He wouldn't be in proper shape to engage the Nohrians again until tomorrow without additional strain on his Master.

Rin's voice popped into his head. _Archer, I need you to pass a note to Saber for me._

On second thought, perhaps he _should_ increase his mana intake. Maybe then Rin would have less energy to assign him menial tasks. He wasn't too worried about leaving his post, though, since Saber had his back. His brother was someone he could rely on.

 _I'll arrive momentarily,_ he responded. _I take it that you have decided on a plan of action for the evening?_

 _Nothing too complex,_

Rin replied. _Just another checkup to make sure Emiya's healing properly, and to teach him the proper use of basic magecraft. Honestly, he's lucky he has someone as talented as I am as an instructor, since his father couldn't be bothered to do it._

Dematerialized, Takumi drifted into Rin's classroom. _And you can't be bothered to tell him this yourself during your lunch break?_ Rin tucked her head down and glared at her textbook.

 _It's too early for that. I have an image to maintain in front of my classmates, you know._

Takumi would have frowned were he in physical form. He settled for a vague sense of incredulity. _But you went to his house yesterday, and the night before. There is no reason to hide your association with him; any important player in the War will already know._

Rin's response was a wordless stream of distilled annoyance over their empathic link. Deciding to drop the subject, Takumi retrieved the paper he was to deliver and slipped through the slightly open rear door of the classroom.

Emiya Shirou's classroom was not far away, and Takumi found Ryoma waiting just outside, also in spirit form. The Saber Servant radiated only the slight tension of alertness, with none of Archer's boredom. Unlike his brother, Ryoma was usually patient when on duty.

 _I've brought a message from my Master,_ said Takumi. _It appears to be the prescription for tonight's training._

Ryoma took the note, an action only noticeable by a slight shimmer in the air and the feel of fingers at once there and not there. _I look forward to it._

Takumi felt like lingering to talk, but he knew he should return to his lookout post. Rin might not care about such a low-stakes dereliction of duty, but his brother certainly would. _I as well,_ he replied, and began to drift back toward the stairs.

 _When we next speak alone,_ began Ryoma, but he hesitated. Takumi halted to listen.

 _...I would discuss our sister._ It felt almost like a question. Did he mean Hinoka, or...Azura? Takumi couldn't tell.

 _As you say,_ responded Takumi. He moved to return to his post, followed by a faint hint of gratitude from the other Servant.

Gratitude...Takumi didn't think he deserved it, not yet. His emotions were still clouded, first from the presence of his siblings, then from the appearance of the Nohrians. The Holy Grail War would have been a far easier battle without familiar faces. He could fight against strangers with perfect efficiency. He had no such assurance against his own family, even with anger on his side, as shown by his repeated losses to a traitorous Corrin.

Anger had never helped him, not even against the Nohrians. His performance against Caster the previous night had been the result of skill and discipline; any attempt to harness his anger would have backfired horribly. Rage made him sloppy; it always had. Time and again, he had seen mistakes on the battlefield cost lives. For his own sake, for the sake of his brother and sister, and for the sake of the girl whose summons he had answered, he could not lose control of his emotions, even for a moment.

It was for the best that he could begin the War alongside his brother, Takumi decided. To ride out the storm in his mind, he needed an anchor.

* * *

The school day was finally over. Shirou stopped by his locker to put away his books and leaned suddenly against the metal as a wave of exhaustion hit him. All at once, tension drained from his body, tension his body had held the whole day without him realizing. He lifted his head and glanced to the left and to the right. Saber's reassuring presence lingered close by. It didn't seem that any of his classmates had witnessed his moment of weakness; if they had, none had taken note of it as they bustled about, taking care of their things in preparation for going home, or for attending club activities, as was the case for most. Shirou let out a long breath and stood straight, resuming his task. His hands shook a bit as he stacked his books neatly inside the locker, but they hurt far less than the previous night. He was in better condition than he had expected, given the strenuous events at the docks and his inability to fall asleep after.

He resisted the urge to peek below his bandages. Saber or Tohsaka would give him an earful if he took them off now, even though they would come off anyway for training in a few hours.

The previous two nights, he had abstained from practicing his magecraft for the first time in five years. The deviation from his routine jarred him. It had been difficult to convince himself to follow Tohsaka's advice when doing so felt like a compromise on his ideal, but somehow he managed it. Despite the exertion of his second battle in the Holy Grail War, he had slept poorly, and it showed in his decreased focus in class.

Although, that was likely as much a result of his manifold worries as of exhaustion. The enemy Servants; the unknown Masters, one of whom was almost certainly a Matou; even Sakura not coming for breakfast. The world seemed bent on making his transition into the life of an active magus as difficult and disorienting as possible.

Belatedly, Shirou noticed that the entry hall had cleared, the student body having dispersed to its various after-school destinations. He sighed. After a moment's pause, he shut his locker and nodded in the dematerialized Saber's direction.

"Heyyy, Emiya!" Mitsuzuri Ayako's voice floated around one of the partitions, followed by the Archery Club president herself. "Thought you'd have already left by now. I didn't get the chance to thank you for the other day." She grinned. "Well, I say thank, but I really owe you an apology."

"Oh," said Shirou. "You mean cleaning the club dojo for Shinji, right? It wasn't an inconvenience, really. It was good for me to have...something to do, that night."

Mitsuzuri's mouth twisted wryly. "Heh, that's just like you to say, isn't it? Honestly, I should have made sure Shinji would do it himself, but you do such a good job that I really can't complain. At least he had a good excuse this time, family business instead of the usual womanizing."

"Family...business?" Shirou asked, suddenly recalling what Kotomine had said about the Matou family.

Mitsuzuri tilted her head, shrugging. "He didn't say what it was, but he's been a whole lot more quiet than usual. He's stopped trying to show off for the first years, can you imagine? And he was all polite to me during morning practice today." She smiled. "I could get used to that, you know."

Shirou blinked in surprise. "Shinji was?"

Misuzuri laughed. "Oh, see? You're surprised too." She glanced around, then continued, "Just looking at him now, you'd think he's running scared of somebody who won't tolerate his uppity attitude. I'd feel sorry for him if he didn't have it coming for so long."

"Mm." Shirou nodded slowly. "Speaking of...how is Sakura?"

Mitsuzuri quirked an eyebrow. "That's not something I thought you would ask. Doesn't she go to your house every day before school?"

Shirou looked away. "That's true," he admitted, "but she won't talk to me about her problems, especially when Shinji's mistreating her."

"She would, wouldn't she." Mitsuzuri had a strange, almost pitying look in her eyes. "Well. I suppose I can tell you that much. She didn't come to school today, but Shinji hasn't so much as looked at her for the last few days, at least at club practice. It's hard to tell what she's feeling, since she always has this blank expression whenever you aren't around." She sighed. "Well, I'd better go. I can't let the club practice go on without some leadership, and my new tenant won't take care of herself."

Shirou stared at her, uncomprehending. "Blank...?"

Mitsuzuri sighed again. "I've gone and said too much. But...she's almost like you, in a way. Back when we were younger, we'd all go on class trips and vacations, and no matter how much fun everyone was having, you'd never smile or crack a joke. That's what she reminds me of, except when you're there." She shook her head. "I guess that's why you haven't noticed." Her grin sprang back, but it wasn't as strong as earlier. "Well, I'll be off. If Shinji shapes up in the long run, think about coming back to the club, okay?"

"Yeah," said Shirou. "I...I'd like that, I think." Halfheartedly, he returned her cheery wave and waited for her figure to disappear through the front entryway.

Once she was gone, Saber materialized beside Shirou. He said nothing, only laying a heavy hand on the boy's shoulder. Shirou looked up at his Servant, and after a long moment, collected himself and nodded. The two walked together out of the school building and toward the Emiya residence.

* * *

Azura paused in the middle of Fuyuki City's market square. The Grail had informed her of the scale of the daily life of this era, but seeing it left her somewhat bewildered, even awestruck. Hoshido's capital had been a mere fraction of what she saw here.

Perhaps her minor acquaintance with the home she best remembered, and her still lesser acquaintance with its inhabitants, had made excursions more comfortable, the crowds less daunting. Yet, the increased complexity and bustle of _everything_ made her think that finding the items that Leo had requested might be rather a difficult task.

Guidance from one of the inhabitants would have made this simpler. She had considered requesting assistance from Xander's acting Master, but the boy was visibly afraid of her. The sister's poor health ruled her out as well. A stranger might be able to help her, but Azura had never dealt well with strangers. So, she wandered in the general direction of the largest concentration of people, reading signs in hope of discovering where she could obtain parchment, ink, and tomatoes.

Given the overwhelming presence of cheap paper, mass-produced disposable pens, and... _snacks_ , the endeavor seemed less hopeful by the minute. Idly, Azura wondered whether she might obtain the desired items more quickly by finding a farm at which to skin an animal and pick the fruits herself.

It was strange how war had changed her, that she instinctually considered such an act a military acquisition rather than theft. She hoped the situation would not come to that. Her side was not at war with the people of Fuyuki.

* * *

Leo set down his pen. On the table lay several palm-sized paper squares inscribed with simple magic circles. Having only unfamiliar tools and inferior materials, such as this paper, he was limited to basic, single-use formations. The magic stored in each would last no longer than that without destroying the paper. With that in mind, he had created simple perimeter alarms to hide along the entrance to his new makeshift workshop. The dragon vein along which the house was built could support his activities, but not too well-the prime spot ran through the cellars, certainly the home of the Matou magecraft.

Magecraft, so similar to, and different from, the magic he knew. Practical use, such as in combat, relied on prepared spells, whether memorized or cast through a specifically designed item. This much was the same in both systems, down to the mathematical precision necessary for both mages and magi. Rather, the differences lay in the purpose and methods for acquiring power.

In Hoshido, magic was a tool for battle or for everyday problems. In Nohr, its use was much the same, although the need for military power in order to survive trumped the need to improve standards of living.

In this era...in this world, magic as he knew it, which was accessible to any with talent and education, was extinct. The magecraft that had replaced it was secretive and oriented toward obtaining personal power, regardless of the cost to oneself or others. Leo's first Master, Atrum Galliasta, had exhibited a horrific callousness toward the sacrifice of the innocents to fuel his craft. Leo would have assumed the man to be an exception but for the copious records of similar atrocities at the hands of those who practiced dark magic.

In the time of his father, King Garon, the use of dark magic had been constrained largely to areas of possible military application. Things like the Nosferatu spell or the creation of Faceless were fairly tame compared to the curses and blood rituals of legend. However, exceptions always existed, and they became only more numerous after Garon's corruption into a soulless monster.

Atrum had boasted endlessly of the financial support and various advantages supplied by his backers in the Mages' Association. The Magus' Association was willing to back such a man as Atrum in his pursuit of the Holy Grail and the wish it granted. Therefore, the Mages' Association had no regard for human life. Therefore, no magus could be trusted in any capacity. Except, perhaps, to act in his or her own self-interest.

Leo distributed his cursory alarm system throughout the room. The lone door took two of the paper slips, while the others went to the corners and the structural supports in the walls, floor, and ceiling. Leo sighed. It was unfortunate, but his ability to prepare a workshop from scratch was insufficient. His specialization in combat had cut into his study of other types of magic, whether healing, alchemy, or barrier creation. Fortunately for him, his teachers had drilled into him some of the basics of golem creation. With the proper materials, he could create Faceless or Stoneborn, in theory.

Which was why he had sent Azura to requisition parchment. Redrawing the magic circles required on new paper each time would be horribly tedious and inefficient. Parchment was sturdy enough to channel spell formations multiple times or have new ones drawn after the old ink was scraped away. And unlike a circle carved in the ground, it could be carried with him.

On that note, Azura should have been back by now. What was taking her so long?

Leo focused on their telepathic link. _Azura, is there a problem?_

Her answer came promptly. _Yes. It's Berserker._

* * *

"I must say, I didn't expect to find you wandering around like this without Presence Concealment...you are Assassin, aren't you? Well, you were always the quiet and mysterious one. But look at you! You're not even dressed to blend in."

"I tied my hair up," murmured Azura.

Camilla laughed. "Silly girl. Trying to make yourself less conspicuous doesn't work like that. You have to show that you don't care whether people notice you or not. If you can't help being exotic, dress to match!"

Camilla herself wore a loose, fluffy sweater and an equally loose rumpled cap that did nothing to keep her hair in order. While not exotic, per se, it was indeed far _messier_ than the attire of most others in the mall. Azura decided not to mention this observation.

Instead, she said, "Camilla...my apologies if this is unnecessary, but...do you intend to fight me?"

Camilla's pace slowed, and she turned her head to stare at Azura with eyes of genuine sadness. "Dear, dear sister. Of course not! Is that what you expected? I would _so_ hate having to hurt one of my beloved children without even a chance to comfort her beforehand. No, I came here for my newest adopted sibling. The poor girl's mother died ten years ago, and she's had nobody to love her all this time. She doesn't even have any good play clothes."

Azura stiffened, almost tripping. "You don't mean your Master?"

Camilla shifted her shoulders uncomfortably. "Well, where the Holy Grail War is concerned, that is _true_ , I suppose. The whole thing is really a horrible inconvenience."

Azura's heart felt like it was grinding against her ribcage. "You exposed yourself just to buy clothes for your Master." The words came out more in a more accusatory tone than she had intended.

Camilla rolled her eyes. "It's broad daylight, sweetie. Besides, the maids are reliable. They can take care of Illya while she waits for me." Azura found herself at a loss for words. Seeming not to notice, Camilla continued. "I really couldn't put it off any longer; there's no point if she can't get some use out of the new clothes. In a few days, several of the Servants will be dead, and she won't be able to move around." She leaned close to Azura. "Illya's the vessel of the Lesser Grail, you know."

"I didn't," Azura whispered.

Camilla frowned. "Really? It's no secret. Ah, I suppose the Grail won't tell you everything right away. Anyway, you simply must meet her. I was having her try on some new outfits, but I sensed you and came right away. I absolutely didn't want to miss seeing you."

Azura halted. Letting out a deep sigh, she took hold of Camilla's wrist and forced the taller girl to stop as well.

Camilla frowned. "Dearie, what's wrong? We shouldn't keep her waiting."

Azura forced herself to look Camilla resolutely in the eyes. "Camilla, I do not think it wise that I meet your Master."

Camilla blinked. "Oh," she said, her face scrunching up in disappointment. "Why not?"

Azura held Camilla's gaze. "If I have rightly guessed your intent, you mean to have your Master form an emotional attachment to me in order to solidify the sense of familial belonging which you...honestly wish to give her." Her gaze flickered down. "I cannot fault you for that. But..." She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "I am likely to die before the War's end. You are as likely to kill me as anyone, if not more so."

A soft pressure enveloped her on all sides. It took her a moment to realize that it was Camilla hugging her.

"I know," Camilla whispered. "Big sister already knows. And Illya knows, too. She won't survive the War, just like us. But unless you're the last one standing, she'll get you when you die. So you won't really be gone." Her arms tightened. "You can make up for last time." Camilla's eyes, unfocused, gazed at something far away. "You won't leave us, this time...you won't take _him_ away from me..."

Azura shuddered with a sudden chill. Then, steeling herself, she returned the hug.

Camilla blinked, shaking herself out of her daze. "Oh, I'm sorry. What was I saying...I lost track. Do forgive me."

"There's nothing to blame you for," Azura replied, smiling bitterly. "I'll go with you. It won't do to keep your-no, our new sister waiting."

Camilla drew out of the hug, her hands resting on Azura's shoulders. "Of course. Let's go!" She grabbed Azura's hand and drew her toward her earlier destination at a brisk pace. Her smile was almost giddy.

"Ah, Camilla," said Azura, "perhaps you could help me find a few things while we're here? I can't seem to navigate this market at all."

Camilla laughed. "That's no trouble. What do you need?"

"Parchment, and...tomatoes."

"Tomatoes? Hm. That sounds more like something Leo would request. Dear me, did I not realize that you like them so much? I feel like I've failed as a sister."

Azura hoped her smile showed less nervousness than she felt. "I'm sure you'll make up for it in no time, if it's you...big sister."

* * *

The afternoon and early evening passed quickly for Shirou. Ayako's words weighed on him, but he couldn't help anticipating the basic magical training that Rin had promised and which Kiritsugu had refused him.

Taiga had offered a multitude of excuses and apologies for missing dinner, citing school matters. It was just Shirou and Saber at the dinner table that evening, and while the meal wasn't lonely, per se, the atmosphere was more subdued than Shirou was used to. Both he and Saber were tense and put little effort into conversation while they ate.

About half an hour after their dinner, a heavy knock came at the door. Shirou went to the door, trying to keep calm so he wouldn't look nervous. The knock came again, harder. Shirou opened the door. "Evening, Tohsaka. You don't have to knock quite so hard. I could hear you clearly the first time."

She sniffed. "I fixed the door for you. I'll knock as hard as I please."

"Well, if you say so." Shirou stepped aside to let her in. "I usually do my practice in the tool shed out back, but we can use whatever place you want. The dojo has a lot more room than the shed, which might be helpful."

Rin tossed her hair. "Why don't you show me around, then. We didn't have the chance the other night."

Shirou shrugged. "All right." He led her through the house to the back veranda. Past the wide windows and sliding doors lay the back yard, with the shed directly across and the dojo off to the right. A large gouge ran several meters through the dirt along the middle of the yard. _Right, Archer put that there,_ Shirou thought. He had forgotten about that.

Rin looked at him. "What? It's not my fault Berserker dodged that time."

"Hey, I didn't say anything," protested Shirou. "I was just thinking I should fill it in before Fuji-nee sees it."

Rin frowned. "Fujimura-sensei? But didn't she go home with you the evening after?"

Shirou pushed the sliding door open and stepped outside. "She was...otherwise occupied and didn't notice."

Rin followed. "Dare I ask why?"

"She was, you know, trying to find out if Saber was single?"

"Oh. Is he?"

"He, uh, didn't say. He just mentioned a kid a few times to avoid answering."

Rin nodded, looking satisfied. "Good. A womanizing Servant would be horribly inconvenient. Not that I thought that of Saber, of course." She glanced around. "I assume he's here?"

"Yeah. He said he would watch in spirit form," replied Shirou, stepping carefully over the miniature trench. "He says he doesn't know enough magic to be helpful."

Rin waved her hand. "That's fine. We're only covering basics tonight, anyway. It's natural, given my existing investment in you and your Servant."

"Mm." Shirou unfastened the lock on the shed and swung one of the doors open. "Well, this is the closest thing I have to a workshop. It's not much, but I've managed to fix a few appliances. Oh, and there's the magic circle I used to summon Saber."

Rin stepped around the scattered boxes and pipes to examine it. "Ah, yes. The spell array you used to accidentally summon a Servant without a chant, a catalyst, or even the intent to participate in the Holy Grail War." She turned back to Shirou. "On second thought, it would be better to use the dojo. If your father used this as a workshop before you, there's no telling what might happen in here if we're careless."

Shirou deflated. "Ah, I suppose that's true." He gave a mournful look over the chaos, which he had not managed to clean or organize since the encounter with Berserker. The pipes lay scattered and bent, and the dead VCR he had been trying to repair was on its side with a large crack in its casing. With a sigh, he turned away and led Rin out, locking up again before heading to the dojo.

They took their positions on the polished wood floor of the dojo. Rin had Shirou sit cross-legged in a meditative position. She hummed to herself while inspecting his posture. Finally, she said, "All right, take off your shirt."

Shirou flinched. "Wait, what?"

"I need to be able to see what's happening in your magic circuits. Don't make me repeat myself."

"But..." Shirou gave up and swept off his shirt in one fluid motion. Rin spun her head away, reddening a bit. "Are you all right, Tohsaka?"

"Hmph. You startled me." She stepped around behind him, not looking directly at him. "Now, breathe. Calm and center yourself. When you've done so, show me how you use your magic circuits. I may stop you, so be careful about it."

Shirou inhaled and exhaled deeply. He called upon his mental image-a metal rod slowly lowering itself into a dark, deep pool of water. When the rod was completely submerged, he tightened his focus and brought the rod down to pierce into his spine. Immediately, the water around the rod surged to a boil, but he pushed it in steadily, enduring the pain.

Something burbled in the water behind him, but the rumble of steam drowned it out. It came again, this time striking the metal rod and almost dislodging it. In haste, Shirou imagined the rod withdrawing from his back. It came out, and the entire mental image popped like a bubble, leaving him slumped over and gasping.

"Emiya." Rin's voice was quiet and dangerous. "What was that?"

Shirou forced himself to breathe more deeply. When he had recovered his wind, he said, "That's how I make magic circuits."

"You're doing it wrong," she growled. "If you have the ability to use magic at all, you have magic circuits in your body naturally. But instead of using those, you force your nerves to act as makeshift circuits, giving inferior results and a higher chance of failure."

Shirou turned his head to look at her. Rin did not look happy. He felt a pang of disappointment in himself.

"Now, before you get depressed," Rin continued, "I can help you learn to use your real circuits. I doubt it will increase your prospects as a magus very much, but it should improve your ability to support Saber. Depending on your progress, I might consider teaching you proper reinforcement so you won't wreck your arms next time you try it." Shirou swallowed his desire to retort and nodded resolutely. Rin returned the nod. "Now, keep in mind that your magic circuits are parallel to the nervous system. You merely need to channel your Od through the proper pathway. I'll trace the path for you the first time. With repeated practice, it should become instinctive, allowing you to discard that image training so I won't have to slap you to get you to listen."

 _So that's what that was,_ thought Shirou. He stiffened as Rin knelt and pressed her fingers to his spine between the shoulders. "Uh, Tohsaka? Couldn't I use my Structural Analysis to find it? There's no need to go this far-"

"I can do it myself. Don't distract me." She traced her fingers along his back, and he felt a small tingle like a twitching muscle. Shirou closed his eyes and focused on the tingle as Rin traced it out.

The hands left his back. "All right," said Rin. "Go ahead. Try to send your energy along that pathway. Use your image if you have to, but don't go to the nerve stage."

"Got it." Shirou breathed. Then he activated Structural Analysis. The pathways and systems of his body opened themselves to his mind's eye. Now that he knew what to look for, he could see the hidden parallel lines beneath his branching nerves. Some of the nerves appeared blackened, and he suppressed a shudder. He let go of Structural Analysis, but kept the image in his mind. The darkened water returned, flowing over and through everything. The metal rod lowered itself into the water, as before, but heeding Rin's instructions, he made it halt before piercing his spine, stopped against his skin. Searching for something else to use, he grasped the flow of the water. It swept along his blood vessels and nerves, but he easily found the trickle along the newly found magic circuits. He focused on this trickle and fed it through, gradually increasing the strength. A new sensation swelled around him-magical power without debilitating pain. Greedily, he forced open the floodgates and poured as much water through his circuits as they would allow.

The bubble burst.

Blinking, Shirou found himself back on the dojo floor, the bandages on his arms sopping wet. Hurriedly, he slipped them off and stared.

The scars were completely gone.

"Ahem." Shirou snapped his head around to Rin, but his grin morphed to confusion on seeing that she was...drenched.

So were his pants. So was the dojo floor.

Rin wiped her face on her sleeve. "What. The hell. Was that?"

Shirou got to his feet, nearly slipping. "I'm so sorry. This has never happened before."

Rin waved him away. "Don't apologize. Obviously, you couldn't have predicted what would happen." She sighed and began to mutter to herself. "Water everywhere, so a probable Water Element, but he shouldn't be able to produce it accidentally just by activating his circuits unless he has some sort of natural wishcraft..."

"Tohsaka." Rin looked up at him and broke off. Her face was suddenly red. "This isn't normal, right?"

She shook her head roughly. "No, of course not. Tell me, what image did you use?"

Shirou closed his eyes. "It was...flowing water, with a metal rod going into my spine. At least, when I would try to use magic before, the rod would go in all the way. I was able to focus on the water, since you showed me where to direct my energy."

Rin was silent, deep in thought. Finally, she said, "To tell you the truth, I don't have a lot of experience with something like this. How about this: I'll look through my family's library to see if there's anything relevant, and you can practice adjusting your mana output to support Saber. We'll meet again tomorrow, and you'll try to get your circuits to activate without having to rely so much on the image. Maybe reduce the water spillage, too."

"Yeah, of course." Shirou looked around for something to wipe the floor with. There was nothing available; he'd have to get a mop from the house. But he had to see his guest off first. "Do you need a change of clothes? And, uh, will you be all right on your way home?"

Rin brushed her still-wet hair back. "Please. I'm hardly helpless on my own, not to mention having Archer. I won't catch cold from something like this, either." She quirked an eyebrow at Shirou. "Oh, and while I can't say I dislike the view...you really should put your shirt back on."

She had left the dojo before Shirou had a chance to respond.

He sighed, picked up the damp garment, and slipped it back over his head, then began to trudge back to the house for the mop.

Saber materialized next to him. "You are disappointed that the session was short."

"Well...yeah," Shirou admitted. "I was excited about tonight. And we did make progress!" He paused. "How are you doing on mana, by the way?"

Saber inclined his head. "I can feel our bond more strongly than before. At this level, I should have no problem fighting normally, although I would likely have to retire after several uses of my Noble Phantasm so as not to overburden you."

Shirou nodded. "Is that so? I'm glad." The two of them passed by the gouge in the lawn. "Might as well get out the shovel, too," he muttered.

Saber laid a hand on his shoulder. "Shirou, I'm not convinced that you are. If you choose to speak your mind, I will listen."

Shirou halted. He looked at the taller man. Then, he exhaled and threw back his shoulders, straightening up. "Thanks, Saber. I guess I can talk while I clean up, you know?"

Saber squeezed Shirou's shoulder and let go. "That's the spirit. Although, if you have multiple cleaning tools, allow me to assist you. I'm not accustomed to labor, but I do have my duty as your guest."

Shirou couldn't see a reason to say no, so they began the work together while Shirou tried to dredge up the cause of his feelings. It was a more difficult task than he felt it should be.

About halfway into filling in the trench in the yard, he spoke up. "Saber, I've told you about Kiritsugu and my reasons for pursuing magecraft." The Servant nodded. "Well, to tell the truth, it's been awfully disorienting, finding out about how my life is already so connected to the Holy Grail War and the affairs of real magi...especially with Tohsaka. Sakura and Shinji are probably involved somehow, but it hasn't really hit home, you know? With Tohsaka, she was the perfect honors student that a nobody like me couldn't even approach. I might have even had a crush on her.

"Then, she shows up at my front door and reveals that she's a magus, one with proper talent, no less. Well, you were there for everything after that; you've seen how she is. I was so surprised that I just went along with what she said without really being able to process just how different she turned out to be from what I imagined."

"You assumed she was a straightforward, straight-laced person and were proven wrong," Saber said. "It happens with women. I'd give you some advice, but none of the women I knew were quite like her."

Shirou sighed. "Thanks. I mean, I don't dislike her real personality. It just takes getting used to. She's not a bad person; she just likes to be in control."

Saber smoothed over the last bit of the filled-in trench. "That would be the reason that she left early tonight. Your little accident was outside of her experience, and it spooked her. That, and she was enjoying your shirtless physique too much for her own comfort."

"Wait, what?"

"Nothing. I doubt she'll find anything, if control over dragon veins was new to her. The discharge of a dragon vein has a distinct magical signature, you see. That's what I felt from you when you summoned the water."

Shirou stared at Saber incredulously. "What are you saying?"

Saber returned his gaze. "I am saying that you have dragon blood in your veins. It may be only a little, but it is remarkable nonetheless. Even the Grail tells me that dragons no longer exist in this world. Either a draconic bloodline somehow survived in you...or you are an anomaly that no one here can hope to explain."

"You're certain?" Shirou pressed. "There's no way it could be something else, maybe feedback from being linked to you? You have the dragon vein ability."

An uncertainty formed in Saber's expression, but he shook his head. "If a Heroic Spirit were able to overwrite the abilities of their Master, there would be no point in summoning a separate entity as the container. The Masters would merely assume the capabilities of the Servants without a summoning. Rather, I would say that your dragon blood may have acted as a catalyst for my summoning." He sighed deeply, looking off into the twilight sky. "It would be highly unlikely for six Heroic Spirits to be summoned from the same legend without catalysts. But, I suppose we shall find the final proof of the pattern on facing Rider."

"Yeah," replied Shirou. "We really don't know much of anything, do we?"

The two faced each other silently, shovels still in hand.

"There is time left before dusk," Saber noted, "and your dojo is equipped with bokken. Would you grant me a spar?"

"I'm...not very good," said Shirou. "I wouldn't mind though. Perhaps you could train me?"

"Hm." A smile touched Saber's usually stoic face. "Considering the imminent danger to your life, that may be necessary. I believe I shall. Prepare yourself!"

* * *

 **I'm back, everybody. It took a while, but I've got a good feeling about where this is going to go from here. I welcome discussion of any kind.**


End file.
